Zohran Mamdani praised using ‘manipulation tactic’ on Trump to win him over

New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani has once again met with President Donald Trump at the White House, where the two seemed to bond over an unlikely topic.

However, people online have branded it smart ‘manipulation’ on Mamdani’s part.

He was elected as NY’s mayor on 4 November, and while citizens were celebrating – Trump’s administration was threatening his citizenship.

Trump himself was backing Mamdani's opponent Andrew Cuomo, which didn’t put them closer together throughout the campaign.

Well, Trump was also threatening to withhold funding from the city if Mamdani were to be elected, so you could say they didn’t get off on the right footing.

Until now.

Nearly four months since he became the leader of the Big Apple, he was invited to the White House to join Trump and talk about his city.

Zohran Mamdani visited Donald Trump (Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)

There, he apparently had two things on his mind: the first is that he wants $21 billion in federal grants to do things like build 12,000 affordable apartments and neighbourhood in Sunnyside Yards in Queens, reported Politico.

He also allegedly asked Trump to have ICE release five students currently in detention.

However, to sweeten the deal, he approached the real estate tycoon with a mock New York Daily News front page that cast Trump as a hero, while another referenced President Gerald Ford’s refusal to help New York during its 1975 financial crisis.

Mamdani shared an image of Trump holding both fake covers for a photo together, leading people to believe it was all a ploy to butter up the POTUS to get what he wants.

“I had a productive meeting with President Trump this afternoon,” Mamdani captioned the photo. “I’m looking forward to building more housing in New York City.”

Mamdani allegedly asked for funding to build in the city (Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Comments on social media were quick to talk about it, with one person claiming: “How has no one tried this already. I have tears in my eyes at how elegant this is as a trump manipulation tactic.”

A user wrote: “Don looks so happy.”

Another said: “a real politician who knows how to play the game, which in this case is a game about jingling keys for an elderly infant who wants to feel like a special boy.”

However, someone claimed it would have happened anyway, commenting: “Trump would have done the same thing, even if he did not bring the papers. He loves NYC.”

Tyla reached out to Zohran Mamdani’s office for comment.