Washington: Donald Trump began to soften on Zohran Mamdani when it became clear the young Muslim democratic socialist was going to become the next mayor of New York. The president loves a winner. Now, he seems to have melted like butter.

The odd couple met for the first time on Saturday (AEDT) in the Oval Office amid a flurry of media interest. Trump’s team happily heightened expectations. “We have a communist coming to the White House,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt teased.

What would happen? Would there be fireworks? Yelling? A walk-out?

In the end, none of the above. When they fronted the cameras after their meeting, Trump and Mamdani sang from the same song sheet. They might as well have sung Kumbaya .

“I think you’re going to have, hopefully, a really great mayor,” Trump ent

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