The image of Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani sitting together in the Oval Office and giving a joint press briefing stunned the political world. What explains such a scene? Why would two fiercely antagonistic politicians appear side by side so soon after trading blows? Recall that during the campaign, Trump went so far as to hint that Mamdani should be deported. Meanwhile, the defining moment of Mamdani’s victory speech was the instant he publicly confronted the president.

The first explanation is the simplest: a mayor and a president inevitably have to meet. Avoiding it would have been impossible. But this truism does little to account for the defining feature of the encounter — Trump’s sudden shift in tone. He appeared relaxed on camera, even complimenting Mamdani. Mamdani, for his part, remained sober and to the point, yet agreed to participate in the moment.

This is where two additional explanations enter the picture. One is largely circumstantial. The other is deeper and, given Trump’s track record, somewhat unusual.

The circumstantial factor was presidential opportunism. As previously noted, a series of recent events — including the No Kings protests, the shutdown, the erratic economy, and the November 4 election results — has put Trump on the defensive. His approval ratings are at their lowest point. Mamdani, by contrast, is at the peak of his political capital. So, ever attuned to televised spectacle, Trump sought to benefit from his opponent’s popularity. From that angle, it was Trump — not Mamdani — who stepped back, even provoking fissures within the MAGA movement.

The structural factor is of a different order. By staging the meeting in a friendly, diplomatic register, Trump acted like a conventional bourgeois politician attempting to absorb and manage an emerging political force: Mamdani. This is nothing new in capitalist democracies. During elections, the ruling class tries everything to prevent a genuine expression of working-class politics from taking office. When that fails, the next phase is damage control. To do that, one must accept and impose the rules of the political regime. Trump, who frequently disregards such norms, chose this time to play along. Seeking to protect his interests in the most important city in the country, he behaved like a classic Republican willing to “work with” his Democratic counterpart. Mamdani, wearing a blue tie, validated the meeting.

Some argue that the improbable scene suggests Trump lacks a coherent political vision. But the encounter should not be read as any shift in the essence of his administration, which remains geared toward persecuting immigrants, privileging billionaires, reshaping the global order, and strengthening neofascism. No illusions are warranted on that front.

As for observers following Mamdani’s trajectory, how should one respond? First, it is far too early to throw stones. Whether the event’s format was ideal is a legitimate debate, but the meeting with Trump was bound to happen sooner or later. And on balance, Mamdani’s answers to the press remained consistent with his program and intentions. More important than fixating on the unlikely images is watching how the administration takes shape and what concrete measures are adopted to carry out its agenda.

Still, it’s important to stay alert and to keep two basic points in mind. First: not a single word from Trump is ever trustworthy. Second: Mamdani’s electoral program can only be implemented through a confrontation with the class interests Trump represents. It makes no difference that the president signaled cooperation. The most likely — indeed, obvious — scenario is that his administration will act to hinder Mamdani’s mayoralty. The same goes for the heavyweights of the political establishment (including Democratic politicians) and of the financial sector. Freezing rents, instituting free buses, and free childcare are not ordinary policy proposals.

Finally, the economic agenda must be politicized, just as it was during the campaign. If Mamdani demonstrated that no socialist policy can gain traction without a clear economic program, now is the time to show that this same program cannot be realized without a broader socialist strategy. And this agenda does not exhaust the horizon of possible struggles: the working class can always demand more and is the bearer of a political project that goes beyond immediate material gains. In pursuing that project, challenging and exposing Trumpism remains a non-negotiable principle.

In other words, the task is to govern by mobilizing society, remaining faithful to a horizon of deep transformation, and connecting every concrete policy to the broader interests of the working class. Put differently, governing beyond the limits that the Democratic Party itself will try to impose on the mayor. Social movements and labor organizations must be ready both to support and to pressure Mamdani in this direction.

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