Trump warns Mamdani ahead of high-stakes Oval Office meeting: 'He has to be careful'



President Donald Trump has offered a preview of his highly anticipated meeting with New York City's newly elected socialist mayor.

Trump's meeting with Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani (D) in the Oval Office Friday afternoon is proving to be one of the most highly anticipated sit-downs of his second term. Trump described Mamdani, a staunch progressive and outspoken critic of the president, as "a little bit different" but remained optimistic about the meeting.

'I give him a lot of credit.'

"He's got a different philosophy," Trump told Brian Kilmeade Friday. "He's a little bit different."

One of the focal points of Mamdani's campaign was affordability, an issue that has also been a pillar of Trump's administration. Although their respective solutions to address affordability are at odds, Trump maintained that the two New Yorkers are ultimately "looking for the same thing."

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"I give him a lot of credit for the run. He did a successful run, and we all know that runs are not easy," Trump said. "But I think we'll get along fine. Look, we're looking for the same thing. We want to make New York strong."

Since his decisive victory in early November, Mamdani has continued to rail against Trump and his administration. During his victory speech, Mamdani infamously told Trump to "turn the volume up." In response, Trump issued Mamdani a warning but commended his campaign nonetheless.

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Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

"Well, I was hitting him a little hard too, in all fairness," Trump said. "It's hard to be totally friendly to the opponent, you know. ... He had some interesting opponents. But he ran a good race. I don't know exactly what he means by 'turn the volume up' because 'turn the volume up,' he has to be careful when he says that to me."

"I think it's going to be quite civil. You'll find out."

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Hakeem Jeffries pressed for biting his tongue on Zohran Mamdani: 'It's a legitimate issue'



House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is once again holding back from commenting on Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City.

Like most of his fellow New York Democratic lawmakers, Jeffries has refrained from endorsing Mamdani despite his popularity in the city. At the same time, Mamdani's Democratic opponents, like former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, have torn into the rising star, most recently calling him a hypocrite for living in a rent-controlled apartment.

'The Mamdani campaign is going to have to address it.'

"Somewhere last night in New York City, a single mother and her children slept at a homeless shelter because you, assemblyman [Zohran Mamdani] are occupying her rent controlled apartment," Cuomo wrote in a post on X.

"We are in the middle of a historic affordability crisis," Cuomo added. "Millions of low income New Yorkers need this apartment and an apartment like it. Yet your apartment remains rented to rich people who don't need it."

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Many commentators and political analysts attribute Mamdani's success to his focus on affordability. Unlike his challengers, Mamdani has repeatedly advocated for a rent freeze on all rent-controlled apartments intended for low-income residents, which has drawn attention to his own living situation.

Despite Mamdani's hypocrisy, Jeffries yet again withheld from criticizing the Democratic front-runner.

When asked if Mamdani should live in a rent-controlled apartment, Jeffries told CNBC, "That is an issue for the state legislators and state government to work out."

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Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

The CNBC host promptly pressed Jeffries, pointing out that people like Mamdani are not the intended demographic for rent subsidies and financial aid.

"It's a fascinating issue about affordability in the city and whether there are folks who are living in rent-controlled apartments all across this city that effectively should be going towards poor people who need that affordability," the host said.

"It's a legitimate issue that has been raised, and the Mamdani campaign is going to have to address it," Jeffries said.

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