Democratic strategist calls Mamdani's Trump meeting 'weak' after tough campaign talk

24 Nov 2025 By foxnews

Democratic strategist Michael LaRosa called out New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's "weak" White House meeting with President Donald Trump, suggesting that far-left Democrats would be upset by his amiability toward the president after vowing to meet "despotism" with "strength."

"Seeing those guys yuck it up, talk about housing, where they agree on housing, where they agree on crime, exchanging compliments over social media, Mamdani talking about how they share some of the same voter coalition. I, as a moderate common-sense Democrat, loved it," LaRosa said Sunday on "Fox & Friends Weekend."

"But again, if I was on the left, I'd be [upset]. I mean, this guy in his victory speech was saying the only way to meet authoritarianism and oligarchy and despotism is with strength not appeasement. Well, I don't know who cut off his b---- before he went in there because … that looked pretty weak to me."

ZOHRAN MAMDANI REVEALS WHAT HE PLANS TO DISCUSS WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP IN OVAL OFFICE MEETING

The former Jill Biden press secretary's comments come amid backlash from some leftists - including one democratic socialist organization - which suggested last week that Mamdani is backtracking on his campaign promises.

"Less than three weeks after Democratic Socialists of America member Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral election, garnering over 1 million votes, the mayor-elect is quickly revealing himself to be nothing more than a standard capitalist politician," an article on the World Socialist Web Site reads.

The site more specifically scrutinized Mamdani's outreach to Trump, keeping NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch and "lobb[ying] against a 'socialist' challenge to New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries."

Mamdani and Trump met at the White House on Friday, where the incoming mayor stood beside the president, who was seated behind the Resolute Desk.

TRUMP SAYS HE WILL MEET NYC MAYOR-ELECT ZOHRAN MAMDANI THIS WEEK

LaRosa called the move "brilliant" from a "production standpoint."

"You had Mamdani standing behind the Resolute Desk looking like another cabinet member or any other business leader who had just struck a deal with them. I've never seen Schumer or Jeffries or any Democrat willing to do that and stand behind him and work with them on the things that they agree on," he said.

"That is the adult thing to do. That's what most voters want to see actually happen," LaRosa added.

"They don't want to see Democrats fight just for the sake of fighting or [keeping the government closed] just to hurt people, to punish the Republicans."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Mamdani's campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.