President Donald Trump’s unusually warm reception of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani during their first meeting has left director Spike Lee dumbfounded.
Trump, 79, and Mamdani, 34, who have previously traded barbs, met for the first time on Friday in the Oval Office. During their unexpectedly friendly introduction, both men were all smiles as they shook hands and discussed Mamdani’s plans for the president’s hometown.
Later that day, during a press conference at the Torino Film Festival, the 68-year-old Do the Right Thing filmmaker addressed Trump’s sudden change of tune.
Noting that during the city’s recent mayoral election, Trump had labeled Mamdani “a communist and said New York City was going to go down the drain,” Lee added: “I mean, the President said he was going to cut off federal funding. So from the things that were said to this quick turnaround… I’m puzzled.”
Of whether Trump’s amiable reaction to Mamdani would last, the BlacKkKlansman director said, “We shall see.”
“When you go back and see what the President said about him, and what would happen to New York City if [Mamdani] won, it just seems…,” Lee noted, trailing off. “It seems like they somehow found common ground.”
Following a private, closed-door meeting, which Mamdani described as “productive,” the two posed for press photos, with Trump seated behind the Resolute Desk and Mamdani standing to his right.
Asked by a reporter about whether he was “affirming” prior comments in which he referred to the president as a “fascist,” Mamdani began, “I’ve spoken about —”
The president, who frequently called Mamdani a “communist” during his mayoral campaign, interrupted and said with a smile: “That’s ok. You can just say ‘yes.’”
Then, patting Mamdani on the arm, the president added, “It’s easier. It’s easier than explaining. I don’t mind.”
Meanwhile, Trump has a history of turning on political allies. Recently, he became locked in a heated public spat with Georgia representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was once one of his closest allies and biggest supporters, over a variety of issues ranging from healthcare to affordability.
However, it was her criticism of Trump’s handling of the government’s remaining files on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that set him off, leading him to brand Greene a “raging lunatic.” On Friday, she announced she will resign from Congress in January.
Lee, who recently released his latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, starring Denzel Washington, attended the Torino Film Festival with his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, where he was honored with a lifetime achievement award, alongside Antonio Banderas.
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