{"id":24665,"date":"2025-11-26T08:04:49","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T08:04:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=24665"},"modified":"2025-11-26T08:04:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T08:04:49","slug":"trump-holds-leverage-over-mamdani-after-oval-office-meeting-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=24665","title":{"rendered":"Trump Holds Leverage Over Mamdani After Oval Office Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"
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President Trump believes he holds the upper hand in his developing relationship with Zohran Mamdani, according to a source who helped arrange last week\u2019s unexpected meeting at the Oval Office.\u00a0Trump on Friday surprised voters and political observers when he praised New York City\u2019s mayor-elect as a \u201crational person\u201d who \u201chas a chance to really do something great for New York,\u201d The New York Post\u00a0reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Trump had previously labeled Mamdani a \u201c100 percent communist lunatic\u201d and criticized his positions on taxes, policing, and Israel, as well as his refusal to condemn the phrase \u201cglobalize the Intifada.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mamdani, who has called Trump a \u201cfascist\u201d and a \u201cdespot,\u201d described the pair as having a \u201cshared purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Behind the scenes, the meeting was brokered by a New York business leader close to Trump who believes the president should take a long-term approach with Mamdani for the good of the city and for Trump\u2019s policy goals, particularly involving deportations, according to sources.<\/p>\n

That outreach came after a top official in Mamdani\u2019s inner circle approached the business leader, according to people familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n

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The message from Mamdani\u2019s transition team was that the incoming mayor, who had challenged Trump in his election-night speech to \u201cturn the volume up,\u201d now wanted to smooth relations with the White House.<\/p>\n

The official indicated Mamdani understands he will need help from the administration to pay for several of his major spending proposals and to balance the city\u2019s budget as required under state law.<\/p>\n

Sources said Mamdani, a 34-year-old assemblyman and former rapper, was briefed on the $7.5 billion in federal funding New York City receives each year.<\/p>\n

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That money is considered essential to his agenda and could be restricted by the president.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe faces a $17 billion budget deficit in the next fiscal year to pay for all the free stuff he\u2019s proposing,\u201d said the business leader who helped arrange the meeting and urged Trump to take it.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if Gov. Kathy Hochul agrees to raise taxes, he still faces a multibillion-dollar shortfall,\u201d the person said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe needs Trump and Trump knows it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrump is playing nice for now,\u201d the person added.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if Mamdani doesn\u2019t allow deportations, or defunds the police or goes full on communist, Trump is ready to lower the hammer.\u201d<\/p>\n

A White House press representative had no comment.<\/p>\n

A spokesman for Mamdani also had no comment.<\/p>\n

Trump is seen as holding leverage because state law requires the mayor to balance the budget.<\/p>\n

But sources cautioned that the warm tone may not last.<\/p>\n

Trump remains skeptical of Mamdani and is expected to tie federal funding to whether the mayor moderates his economic and cultural agenda in New York City, where Trump still maintains significant business interests.<\/p>\n

Sources said Mamdani had agreed ahead of the Oval Office meeting not to antagonize Trump and to keep the discussion centered on the city\u2019s affordability issues.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat I really appreciate about the president is the meeting that we had focused not on places of disagreement, which there are many, but also focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers,\u201d Mamdani said.<\/p>\n

New York City faces a projected budget shortfall of up to $8 billion in the next fiscal year.<\/p>\n

Estimates show the deficit widening to as much as $17 billion when factoring in Mamdani\u2019s proposals for free bus service, expanded housing spending and items such as subsidizing trans care for minors.<\/p>\n

Those financial pressures could make Mamdani more reliant on Trump and the administration.<\/p>\n

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Some observers say that is already visible in his plan to reappoint NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a tough-on-crime figure, and in his support for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries over a challenger backed by the Democratic Socialists of America.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrump is not worried about Mamdani,\u201d said another city business leader.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has a \u2018plan B\u2019 if Mamdani misbehaves.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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