A Handshake That Shakes New York – “Are you confirming that you consider Trump a fascist?” – Mamdani: “Yes.”

It was a political encounter that revealed more than any party convention speech. The meeting between Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office was exactly such a moment. For weeks, both had labeled each other with terms that are normally enough to bury any cooperation. “Communist” on one side, “fascist” on the other. But when they stood in front of the cameras on Friday, all of that suddenly seemed far away. Instead of trading blows, there were pats on the shoulder, instead of threats a smiling duo assuring each other they wanted to “improve” New York together.

It was an encounter showing how quickly political hostilities melt when both sides have something to gain. For Trump, Mamdani was no longer the enemy figure that the GOP had used as campaign ammunition, but a useful conversation partner drawing attention to exactly what the president is currently failing at: people’s worries about rent, food prices, and utility bills. For Mamdani, the meeting was a risky walk into a building that had painted him as a political monster for months, and at the same time an opportunity to prevent harm to his city.

“Working people have been left behind in New York. In the wealthiest city in the world, one in five cannot even afford 2.90 dollars for the train or bus. As I told Trump today, it is time to put those people right back at the heart of our politics.”

Trump left no doubt about how much he understood the moment as a chance for himself. He called Mamdani “a very rational man,” praised his concept for more affordable housing and even said he could imagine living in New York again, “especially after this meeting.” For a president who describes the city as decaying at every opportunity, that was more than a compliment. It was a signal to his own base: the man conservative media had portrayed as an arsonist was suddenly acceptable.

This is not about sympathy. Trump is stuck in his own dissatisfaction crisis. Prices continue to rise, his promises on inflation have fizzled, and Mamdani has achieved in New York what Trump has failed to do nationwide: he reached voters on the question of how to keep a city affordable. So the president grabbed at that success as though it belonged to him. He talked about “groceries, an old fashioned word,” and repeated once again that prices were dropping, even though the numbers show the opposite. Mamdani listened politely and left the inconsistencies uncommented.

For the new mayor, the meeting was a balancing act. He confronted Trump about deportations, raids, and the fear many families feel in the city. He did it quietly, without a public duel, but clearly enough that no one in his base can say he folded. At the same time, Mamdani knew exactly what was at stake. In the weeks since his election, many in New York expected Trump to send the National Guard into the city or block federal funds. Now the president promised the opposite: he wanted to help. And he wanted Mamdani to succeed.

Mamdani: "I can tell you more New Yorkers voted for President Trump in the recent presidential election because of the cost of living." - Trump: "I got a lot of votes!"

It was striking how Trump shielded him when the questions grew sharper. When a journalist asked whether Mamdani still thought Trump was “fascist,” Trump brushed it aside and smiled: “You can just say yes.” Mamdani said it – and Trump patted him on the arm. When a reporter asked why Mamdani had not taken the train to Washington, Trump stepped in: “Flying is faster.” He defended him as if they were allies, not opponents who had spent months calling each other dangers to the republic.

For Republicans, the day was a shock. For months, the party had staged Mamdani as a symbol of an alleged left takeover. Trump destroyed that image in minutes. He even contradicted his ally Elise Stefanik, who had called Mamdani a “jihadist.” “I met with a very rational person,” he said dryly. For the GOP, it was a blow: their newly built scarecrow lost much of its effect. For Mamdani, the meeting means more than a PR moment. It is an entry ticket into a political phase in which he is no longer viewed as an enemy of the president. That could determine whether New York will be able to work with the federal government in the coming years or whether the city will face resistance from Washington at every turn.

Reporter: “Are you confirming that you consider Trump a fascist?” Trump: “It is okay, you can just say it.” Mamdani: “Yes.”

Trump, on the other hand, showed a familiar side: he can praise opponents when it serves him, and attack the same people the next day when the benefit is greater. The handshake with Mamdani may have been a new beginning or just a brief moment before the next storm. But on that day, in the Oval Office, they stood side by side like two men who understood they needed one another. One to show political strength. The other to protect his city. And while party headquarters held their breath outside, Trump and Mamdani produced the rarest of images: a peace that looked believable – and may be gone by tomorrow.