Shashi Tharoor Praises Interaction, Says This Is How Democracy Should Work

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday praised the meeting between US President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. He remarked that “this is how democracy should work” and added that he would like to see more such meetings in India as well.

Tharoor’s remarks came a day after Trump met Mamdani at the White House, which attracted attention for their heated exchanges during the New York City mayoral campaign.

Reacting to the rare moment of cooperation in Washington, Tharoor wrote on

This is how democracy is supposed to work. Fight passionately for your point of view in elections, do not be subjected to any rhetorical arguments. But when all is said and done and the people have spoken, learn to cooperate with each other in the common interests of the nation you have pledged to serve. ACCORDING TO ME… https://t.co/NwXPZyhn20— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) 22 November 2025

Mamdani has previously described himself as “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare”, while Trump has described him as “100 percent Communist Crazy” and “completely nuts”. Their rivalry was not secret; However, this meeting between the two leaders made a splash in political circles.

But the atmosphere in the Oval Office was especially different on Friday. Both leaders appeared cooperative and repeatedly emphasized their shared interests on housing, affordability and inflation, which dominated Mamdani’s campaign and also feature heavily in Trump’s 2024 messaging.

Also Read: Election Over, Fight Over! Donald Trump Met ‘Communist Mad’ Zohran Mamdani for the First Time After Victory – What Does This Mean?

Trump said he was “surprised” how constructive the meeting was. Calling the discussion “great,” he added that Mamdani “is going to surprise some conservative people, actually.”

“We’re going to help her achieve everyone’s dream and have a strong and very safe New York,” Trump told reporters alongside Mamdani.

Mamdani also struck a collaborative tone and said he appreciated the meeting’s focus on “common purpose” rather than ideological disagreements. “There are a lot of places where we disagree, but what mattered today was serving New Yorkers,” he said.

Trump downplayed Mamdani’s previous criticism of deportation policies and accusations that he acted like a tyrant, saying executive responsibility often reshapes a leader’s perspective.

Throughout the press conference, Trump repeatedly stepped in to deflect difficult questions directed at Mamdani.

One moment that went viral on social media occurred when a reporter asked Mamdani about her past comments comparing Trump to a fascist. However, the US President maintained his composure and addressed the question calmly, saying, “I have been called much worse than a despot.”

A few minutes later, when asked if he still believed Trump was a fascist, Trump interjected again and said, “No problem. You can just say yes. OK? Easier. Easier than explaining. That’s okay with me.”

He also defended Mamdani when asked about choosing to fly to Washington instead of low-emission travel, saying, “I’ll be there for you.”

Mamdani’s Mayoral Race Campaign

Mamdani, who takes office in January, said he wanted the meeting to discuss how the federal government could help ease affordability pressures in New York City.

Although Trump had previously accused her of being a “communist” and threatened to restrict federal support, he struck a different tone on Friday.

Mamdani had defeated Cuomo by calling him a “puppet” of the president, insisting during a debate, “I am Donald Trump’s worst nightmare as a progressive Muslim immigrant fighting for what I believe in.”

(with ANI entries)