Trump Wrecks Republicans’ Biggest Talking Points on Zohran Mamdani

President Donald Trump’s fawning over Zohran Mamdani Friday may have just detonated Republicans’ strategy for the 2026 midterm elections.

Since Mamdani’s stunning success in the New York mayoral primary in June, Republicans have rushed to paint him as the face of a more “radical left” Democratic Party. After former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her retirement earlier this month, House Republicans moved to officially cast Mamdani as their boogeyman ahead of the 2026 midterms.

But on Friday, Trump appeared happier than ever as he fawned over their foil—and blew up some of Republicans’ major complaints about Mamdani.

Trump (once again) screwed over Republican Representative Elise Stefanik, who launched her own botched gubernatorial campaign shortly after Mamdani won his own election in order to “save New York.”

One reporter asked Trump whether he agreed with one of Stefanik’s many racist attacks against Mamdani after meeting with the mayor-elect. “Do you think you’re standing next to a jihadist right now, in the Oval Office?” the reporter asked.

“No I don’t. But she’s out there campaigning, and uh, you say things sometimes in a campaign. She’s a very capable person, but you’d really have to ask her about that,” Trump replied, calling Mamdani a “very rational person.” The president had previously called Mamdani a “100 percent lunatic communist.”

Trump also dismissed Republicans’ outlandish claims that Mamdani’s progressive policies would send New York City’s highest earners leaving in droves.

“Would you feel comfortable living in New York City under a Mamdani administration?” asked another reporter.

“Yeah I would, I really would. Especially after the meeting. Absolutely,” Trump replied, adding: “We agree on a lot more than I would’ve thought. I want him to do a great job, and we’ll help him do a great job.”

As a man running multiple plots to ensure Republican victory in the 2026 midterms, Trump seemed entirely unaware of the political leverage he was forfeiting as he fell for Mamdani’s charm offensive. Rather, Trump seemed to be convinced that some of Mamdani’s broad antiestablishment appeal could also apply to him—either that or he was just excited to meet another celebrity.

Mamdani didn’t seem too unhappy, either, while standing beside the man he called a despot—though he refused to back down from his strong criticisms of the president’s administration.