President Donald Trump said New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has made “big progress” in embracing the Declaration of Independence during a meeting at the Oval Office, using the moment to spotlight what he described as a significant shift in tone.
“Zohran has come a long way embracing, of course, the Declaration of Independence while at The Oval Office – Big progress! President DJT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump included a photo of Mamdani standing in front of the Declaration of Independence.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment.
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The post comes less than a week after Mamdani visited President Donald Trump at the White House for a previously unscheduled meeting, where the two discussed immigration and housing issues affecting New York City.
Afterward, Mamdani wrote that Trump told him Columbia University student Elaina Aghayeva, who he said had been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier that day, would be released.
“Just got off the phone with President Trump,” Mamdani wrote. “In our meeting earlier, I shared my concerns about Columbia student Elaina Aghayeva, who was detained by ICE this morning. He just informed me that she will be released imminently.”
Despite the public display of cordiality, Mamdani later criticized the U.S. military strikes on Iran that he said marked an escalation of conflict.
“Today’s military strikes on Iran – carried out by the United States and Israel – mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression,” Mamdani wrote. “Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war. Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change.”
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He added that Americans prefer “relief from the affordability crisis” and addressed members of New York City’s Iranian community directly.
“You are part of the fabric of this city – you are our neighbors, small business owners, students, artists, workers, and community leaders,” Mamdani wrote. “You will be safe here.”
The post drew criticism from conservatives on social media, who argued Mamdani’s response appeared sympathetic to Iran’s regime and noted his lack of public reaction to Iranian protesters killed in recent years.
Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
