Social media users are buzzing over a detail in Donald Trump's outfit just one day after his Oval Office meeting with Zohran Mamdani.
The 79-year-old president and New York's mayor-elect had a surprisingly cordial exchange at the White House last Friday.
Trump, who had previously branded the 34-year-old a “communist,” said meeting the democratic socialist was a “great honor," and revealed to reporters that they "agreed a lot more than I would have thought,” adding, “I feel very confident that he can do a good job.”
“I met with a man who... really wants to see New York be great again," he continued, per NBC News. “I’ll really be cheering for him."
President Donald Trump met with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office on November 21. Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty
A jab turned joke: “You can just say ‘yes’”
One of the meeting’s standout moments came when a reporter asked Mamdani if he still considered Trump a fascist.
Before he could respond, Trump jumped in with a grin: “That’s ok. You can just say ‘yes.’ It’s easier than explaining. I don’t mind.” The young mayor looked at the press, waved his hand, and replied, “Yes.”
The interaction went viral, with one social media user posting: “He saw a yes-or-no question floating in the air and decided to intercept it like he was calling his own number.”
Others described the exchange as a “bizarre power move,” with many noting that the president seemed surprisingly unfazed by the label.
Following the meeting, Mamdani reiterated his stance on NBC’s Meet the Press: “Everything that I’ve said in the past I continue to believe,” calling Trump a “fascist” and a “despot.”
But he emphasized the importance of engaging even amid deep disagreement: “We were not shy about the places of disagreement… and we also wanted to focus on what it could look like to deliver on," per The Guardian.
Despite Mamdani’s unflinching criticism - both now and during his fiery victory speech on November 4, in which he addressed the president directly - Trump appeared ready to move forward.
“I think he’s going to surprise some conservative people, actually,” he said. “The better he does, the happier I am.”
Zohran Mamdani and Donald Trump at the White House. Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty
Trump’s Red-And-Black Look Gets Roasted Online
While the politics may have cooled, the fashion heat turned up when Trump emerged outside the White House the next day, sporting a dark red outfit and a black coat.
Gone was his usual blue suit and tie, replaced by what many interpreted as an intentional style shift.
Trump was mocked for his new look. Credit: The Washington Post / Getty
“[Trump] meets with Mamdani one time and immediately tries to step his swag up," one user commented. “No way he’s copying the look,” added another.
A third chimed in: “One meeting with Mamdani and the algorithm is already giving him menswear guy content," and someone else joked it looked like Trump was “about to take in a Broadway show.”
Mamdani didn’t directly address the fashion frenzy but did share a clip on social media of his incoming chief of staff, Elle Bisgaard-Church, saying the meeting was a chance to elevate “the voices of struggling New Yorkers.”
He wrote: “Our campaign was anchored in the voices of struggling New Yorkers.
Yesterday, we brought those voices straight to the Oval Office. We made clear that housing, safety, and lower costs are what New Yorkers need and what our administration will deliver."