President Trump on Friday will meet with the man he did not want to become mayor-elect of New York City, Zohran Mamdani.
“It is my strong conviction that New York City will be a Complete and Total Economic and Social Disaster should Mamdani win,” Mr. Trump wrote in a social media post on the eve of the election in which he urged voters to choose the former governor Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat, over Mr. Mamdani, a democratic socialist.
Mr. Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from a Mamdani-led New York City and expressed his strong preference for Mr. Cuomo, who served nearly three terms as governor before resigning amid a sexual harassment scandal. The president and Mr. Cuomo spoke during the run-up to this month’s mayoral election, and in the contest’s final days, Mr. Trump urged Republicans to cast aside their party’s nominee in favor of him.
“I would much rather see a Democrat, who has had a Record of Success, WIN,” Mr. Trump went on, “than a Communist with no experience and a Record of COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE.” (Mr. Mamdani, a democratic socialist who was the Democratic nominee, is not a communist.)
Mr. Trump’s call echoed a chorus of like-minded arguments from fellow Republicans. But it was all for naught.
In an election that saw the highest turnout in more than a half century, Mr. Mamdani won decisively, taking 50.4 percent of the vote to Mr. Cuomo’s 41.6 percent. (The Republican candidate, the Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, took 7 percent.)
Mr. Mamdani addressed Mr. Trump directly during his victory speech.
“Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you,” Mr. Mamdani said. “Turn the volume up.” (Mr. Trump did in fact tune in.)
Mr. Mamdani went on to describe Mr. Trump as a “despot” and the embodiment of that which plagues New York City.
“If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him,” Mr. Mamdani said.
Mr. Trump responded to the speech on social media in real time: “…AND SO IT BEGINS.”
Weeks later, his bluster appeared to be at least temporarily waning. Mr. Trump, in an interview with Fox News hours before the two were scheduled to meet on Friday, predicted that he and Mr. Mamdani would “get along fine.”
Dana Rubinstein covers New York City politics and government for The Times.
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