New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani met with President Trump at the White House Oval Office Friday. During the meeting, President Trump repeatedly praised Mamdani and said he would feel “very confident that he can do a very good job.” President Trump also said he would feel “comfortable” living in New York under Mamdani’s leadership. Speaking to reporters, Mamdani maintained his past criticisms of President Trump.

Jacqui Heinrich: “Are you affirming that you think President Trump is a fascist?”

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani: “I’ve spoken about the” —

President Donald Trump: “That’s OK. You can just say yes. So” —

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani: “OK. All right.”

President Donald Trump: “OK?”

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani: “Yeah.”

President Donald Trump: “It’s easier.”

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani: “Yeah.”

President Donald Trump: “It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind.”

On Sunday, Mamdani doubled down on his views that President Trump is a fascist and a despot in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Kristen Welker: “Do you think that President Trump is a fascist?”

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani: “And after President Trump said that, I said, 'Yes.' And” —

Kristen Welker: “So you do?”

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani: “And that’s something that I’ve said in the past. I say it today. 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.”

We’ll have more on Mamdani’s meeting with President Trump later in the broadcast.