White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it "speaks volumes" to have "communist" New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House ahead of his upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo; Seth Wenig/AP Photo)
Mamdani identifies as a Democratic socialist and has rejected the suggestion that he is a communist. However, that has not stopped many from continuing to say he is one. When Trump announced his meeting with Mamdani, he also called the incoming mayor a "communist."
"Communist Mayor of New York City, Zohran 'Kwame' Mamdani, has asked for a meeting. We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st. Further details to follow!," Trump wrote on Thursday.
Trump and Mamdani have a history of taking swipes at each other. During his campaign, Mamdani vowed to "Trump-proof" the city, while Trump endorsed Mamdani's main opponent, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, giving this meeting more weight.
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani exits a press conference at City Hall Park in New York City on Nov. 20, 2025. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)
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Mamdani said that he was looking forward to speaking with Trump about "the affordability agenda, public safety, and economic security for each and every person that calls the city home."
Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.
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