The president praised the mayor-elect, undercutting the New York Republican who has labeled him a jihadist.
ALBANY, N.Y. — President Donald Trump’s unexpectedly friendly Oval Office session with New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani arrived at a politically inopportune moment for Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Stefanik, a New York Republican running an uphill gubernatorial campaign in a heavily Democratic state, has centered her message on portraying Gov. Kathy Hochul as the country’s weakest governor — and highlighting Hochul’s ties to Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist poised to lead the nation’s largest city.
Trump’s remarks quickly complicated that narrative. During the meeting, he said he would not be concerned about living in New York under Mamdani, noted their overlapping voter bases, and even complimented the mayor-elect’s appearance. He also declined to repeat Stefanik’s assertion that Mamdani is “a jihadist,” prompting Stefanik to say the two would “agree to disagree.”
Inside MAGA circles, many acknowledged that Trump’s comments temporarily undermined Stefanik’s core campaign argument. “Dems just need to run clips of the presser today to defeat Elise,” Trump ally Laura Loomer posted on X.
The moment illustrated the risks Stefanik faces as a Trump-aligned candidate in a state where Democrats dominate voter registration, the former president remains unpopular, and Republicans have not won statewide office in two decades. For Democrats, however, Trump’s overt friendliness toward Mamdani presents its own political complications, even as many relished photos of the smiling Oval Office meeting.
In an interview with News 12 on Monday, Stefanik insisted the exchange does not weaken her message. “I stand by my statement,” she said. “He is a jihadist. This is an area where President Trump and I disagree.” She added that both are focused on making New York “more affordable and safe,” citing her strong working relationship with the administration.
Stefanik also acknowledged potential areas of cooperation with Mamdani, such as lowering utility costs. Her campaign later described Mamdani as a “dangerous threat to New Yorkers,” arguing his policies would worsen affordability and public-safety issues under Hochul.
Democrats expect the Trump–Mamdani dynamic to shift again, especially after Mamdani told Meet the Press he still views Trump as a “fascist and despot.” Any future clash could influence not only the governor’s race but also New York’s pivotal House contests, where Republicans plan to use Mamdani as a foil in the 2026 midterms.
GOP candidates are counting on strong top-of-ticket support to compete in swing districts on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley — regions crucial to House control in the latter half of Trump’s term. Stefanik’s strategy continues to center on tying Hochul to Mamdani, whose anti-Israel positions remain unchanged after the Trump meeting. Campaign officials say polling shows Mamdani is deeply polarizing statewide.
Trump has been both an asset and a liability for Stefanik since she launched her bid after her United Nations ambassador nomination was withdrawn. He helped clear the GOP field by endorsing Rep. Mike Lawler for reelection, and Lawler endorsed Stefanik’s campaign on Monday. Yet Trump has also encouraged Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to explore a run, adding uncertainty to the primary. Democrats, meanwhile, plan to portray Trump as a burden to her effort in a state where he is deeply unpopular.
Stefanik must maintain Trump’s support to secure the nomination, a balancing act underscored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s rapid fall from favor. “The thing with Donald Trump is he’s your friend until he’s not,” said Republican consultant Susan Del Percio. “Pick your timing. He’s transactional.”
Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard and withhold federal aid in response to Mamdani’s victory — scenarios Hochul’s administration has been preparing for. “We all know who Donald Trump is and can be,” a Hochul official said.
Stefanik, who has represented a solidly Republican district for a decade, rose in national prominence for her staunch defense of Trump during his first impeachment. She had been shortlisted as a potential running mate and was widely expected to serve as U.N. ambassador before internal politics derailed the nomination. Now, she is banking on Hochul’s low approval ratings and the governor’s backing of Mamdani to help propel her in a blue state once known for electing moderate Republicans.
Her campaign rollout has focused on branding Hochul as the “worst governor in America,” a phrase she repeated multiple times in her announcement video. That video also accused Hochul of supporting a “defund-the-police, tax-raising, antisemitic communist.”
Despite the Trump–Mamdani moment, her allies expect little long-term damage. “The president is running a nation, Mamdani has a city to run,” said Conservative Party Chair Gerard Kassar. “He’s saying, ‘Let’s give this guy a chance.’”
Many Republicans doubt Trump’s remarks represent a lasting judgment. “Trump is idiosyncratic,” said GOP strategist Bill O’Reilly. “The next week he’ll be back to criticizing him.”
Democrats also face risks as Mamdani prepares for office. The first-term assemblymember has never run a large bureaucracy and will soon inherit a municipal workforce of roughly 300,000. He has pushed Hochul to raise taxes on high-income residents and major corporations — a proposal she once opposed but has recently hedged on amid political uncertainty.
Mamdani polarized Democrats during the primary, with figures like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer refusing to endorse him. In the suburbs, he is viewed unfavorably by 49 percent of voters, according to a Siena College poll, including 67 percent of Jewish voters.
Republicans intend to make Mamdani a central symbol of Democratic overreach in 2026. Three days after Trump’s praise, the New York Republican Committee sent a fundraising email titled “NYC has fallen,” warning that “New York City has been taken over by a radical socialist.”
“The fight is only beginning,” the message said.
