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Host/editorial director @vox.com / Vox Media; Political analyst @cnn.com; Former @nytimes.com @bostonglobe.com; Full time Cristian Romero + Giselle Bryant enthusiast
Host/editorial director @vox.com / Vox Media; Political analyst @cnn.com; Former @nytimes.com @bostonglobe.com; Full time Cristian Romero + Giselle Bryant enthusiast
And that's coming from a committed Housewives watcher!! We're crazy but they're deranged
November 25, 2025 at 8:36 PM
And that's coming from a committed Housewives watcher!! We're crazy but they're deranged
![So Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani had this strikingly friendly appearance in the Oval. What happened? Is this a big deal?
I certainly think it's a big deal. It reflects the intention that Mamdani approached his entire campaign with, and particularly the general election — his consistent ability to turn skeptics into supporters. That was consistently happening in such a way that it was built into his strategy, and I think we saw that on the biggest stage yesterday.
In some ways, it reflects a lot of the meetings that he's had already, but in some ways, it's so much more extraordinary considering what Trump has said, and considering the way Trump was really coming to him. Trump's the one throwing up the thumbs-up in the photos, not Mamdani. And I think that is reflective of an approach where Mamdani and his team come to these [meetings] and try to focus on areas of agreement and shared values. They identified affordability as one that they think Donald Trump shared, and so they came with that intention in mind. That's the same strategy they've used for meetings of all sorts.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:3q6ndrcyzatczhnnowtgskam/bafkreicyqpjuyz3fwm5d27xz2u2rorbu6iqux5q6hnwhdh4dz23gzxs2u4@jpeg)
That's about more than just showmanship. Or social media. It’s being rooted in a value that people can easily identify/trust you on. It's two electeds who treat politics as a collective action rather than a game played top down.
My take on Zohran-Trump. (2/2)
My take on Zohran-Trump. (2/2)
How Zohran Mamdani won over Donald Trump — for now
Seven questions about that unusual Mamdani-Trump meeting, answered.
www.vox.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:00 PM
That's about more than just showmanship. Or social media. It’s being rooted in a value that people can easily identify/trust you on. It's two electeds who treat politics as a collective action rather than a game played top down.
My take on Zohran-Trump. (2/2)
My take on Zohran-Trump. (2/2)
And this type of transparency and lower d democratic modeling may be just as much of Mamdani’s legacy as the substance. So much of natl Democrats breakdown in 2024 was abt a closed process of insiders. Even more than ideology. And one way to combat the current trust deficit is open that up (2/2)
November 24, 2025 at 5:45 PM
And this type of transparency and lower d democratic modeling may be just as much of Mamdani’s legacy as the substance. So much of natl Democrats breakdown in 2024 was abt a closed process of insiders. Even more than ideology. And one way to combat the current trust deficit is open that up (2/2)