No talks on Netanyahu’s arrest in meeting with Mamdani: Trump

Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani covered a lot of ground in their highly anticipated meeting at the White House Friday afternoon, discussing agenda items such as housing and affordability.

He said he believes Mamdani will handle New York’s affairs responsibly and added that his administration will extend full support whenever needed. He noted that the more effectively Mamdani leads New York, the happier he will be. During the interaction, the President addressed a question about possible action against Benjamin Netanyahu. He clarified that the topic of Netanyahu’s arrest did not come up during the meeting. He remarked that Mamdani’s future decisions may surprise conservative groups and said that he expects some of Mamdani’s moves to challenge their expectations.

While discussing global peace efforts, the President claimed that stability in the Middle East today is linked to his previous initiatives. He mentioned that he finalized several peace agreements around the world, including efforts that, according to him, ended tensions between Pakistan and India. He added that he has no issue if his supporters back Mamdani, explaining that both share the aim of ending conflicts.

At the same time, Mamdani, who was standing beside the President, criticized the US approach to funding foreign governments that violate human rights. He said that both his supporters and the President’s supporters agree that US taxpayers’ money should not assist such countries. When a journalist asked Mamdani whether he considers the President a fascist, the President responded before Mamdani could elaborate. He stated that he is not bothered by such labels and told Mamdani that using the word instead of offering a long explanation is fine with him.