Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed unexpected admiration for New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani during a television appearance on Tuesday, following what he described as a surprisingly productive meeting between the democratic socialist and President Donald Trump.
Unexpected Praise from Treasury Secretary
Appearing on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday, Bessent made positive remarks about Mamdani after co-host Andrew Ross Sorkin asked for his reaction to the Friday meeting at the White House. The treasury secretary, who attended the Oval Office gathering between the political opponents, told Sorkin he had to admire Mamdani's campaign approach.
"You've got to have some admiration for a candidate who ran a campaign the way he did... It was a great, great campaign," Bessent stated during the interview.
The Republican treasury secretary went even further, declaring that Mamdani is "clearly the leader of the Democratic Party now" and praised President Trump's willingness to meet with his political opponent. Bessent argued that the president's invitation demonstrated open-mindedness and a genuine desire to help New Yorkers.
From Political Rivals to Collaborative Partners
The Friday meeting between Trump and Mamdani came after months of public exchanges where the two politicians traded barbs and criticisms. Despite this history, both men appeared jovial during their Oval Office encounter on November 21, 2025.
Photographs from the meeting showed Trump and Mamdani smiling and laughing together as they discussed potential collaboration on addressing New York City's affordability and housing crisis. The two political figures vowed to work together to find solutions for the city's pressing issues.
During one notable exchange, when Mamdani was asked if he still considered Trump a "fascist," the president interjected with humor, telling the mayor-elect, "That's OK, you can just say 'yes'. It's easier than explaining it, I don't mind." Mamdani responded with a grin, saying "OK, yes," while Trump smiled back and patted him on the arm.
Maintaining Principles While Seeking Common Ground
Despite the cordial nature of the meeting, Mamdani didn't retreat from his previous criticisms of the president. During a subsequent appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" over the weekend, the mayor-elect was again asked whether he considers Trump a fascist.
"That's something that I've said in the past. I say it today," Mamdani told the outlet, maintaining his position while acknowledging the value of their discussion.
He elaborated on what made the meeting productive, stating, "And I think what I appreciated about the conversation that I had with the president was that we were not shy about the places of disagreement, about the politics that has brought us to this moment."
Mamdani emphasized that despite their political differences, both leaders wanted to focus on delivering solutions for New Yorkers facing an affordability crisis, indicating a shared analysis of the problem even if their approaches might differ.
Bessent, while praising both men for their willingness to meet, couldn't resist including a subtle criticism of Mamdani's political philosophy, calling him "a young man with a lot of old ideas that have never worked." The treasury secretary also questioned whether campaign rhetoric would translate into effective governance, noting that "It's easy to run a campaign, but the practical everyday of keeping people safe, picking up the trash, making the subways run on time — we'll see."
