Adalberto Rodriguez wasn’t somebody who paid a lot consideration to politics — till President Donald Trump confronted a prison trial in New York Metropolis final yr.
Rodriguez, a 30-year-old who lives in Brooklyn, felt he noticed similarities between his personal authorized troubles and what he believed was “political lawfare” Trump handled in his metropolis. Quickly, he was all-in on Trump, attending rallies within the Bronx and Philadelphia and at Madison Sq. Backyard. He proudly voted for Trump in 2024.
This yr, Rodriguez grew to become enthralled with one other New York Metropolis political determine on the rise: Zohran Mamdani, now the mayor-elect.
“I pray for these two guys particularly,” Rodriguez mentioned in an interview. “And that’s just about the primary time in my life I’ve ever had such a degree of pleasure in direction of any politician. It’s humorous, as a result of lots of people assume that I’m joking or trolling or making an attempt to stir the pot. I get that on a regular basis. I do know it’s going to sound foolish, however it truly is the other.”
The Oval Workplace assembly between Mamdani and Trump final month turned heads, with some observers shocked at what a heat reception the right-wing Republican president gave to the democratic socialist mayor-to-be. However in New York Metropolis, this wasn’t so shocking to Rodriguez. And he wasn’t alone.
NBC Information exit polling from the November vote confirmed 9% of 2024 Trump voters who confirmed as much as the polls backed Mamdani, a phenomenon highlighted by one voter’s “MAGA for Mamdani” T-shirt that went viral within the run-up to Election Day. Trump himself was fascinated by the event, citing the statistic to reporters following his assembly with Mamdani.
“Quite a lot of my voters truly voted for” Mamdani, Trump mentioned. “One in 10, and I’m OK with that.”
Mamdani and his allies see their success profitable over a phase of Trump voters as an indication of how different Democrats can win again components of the voters that spurned the get together for Trump in 2024, together with younger males and immigrants who felt the get together was unresponsive to their wants. However Republicans who spoke to NBC Information mentioned that whereas they had been shocked by each the variety of Trump-Mamdani voters and the congeniality of the president’s assembly with the mayor-elect, they didn’t really feel as if Mamdani unlocked a highway map to reconfigure the voters.
The affordability overlap
In an interview with NBC Information, Mamdani mentioned he talked about the exit polling stat to the president at their November assembly to clarify how each males had made appeals to among the identical voters. Mamdani additionally highlighted a marketing campaign video he shot proper after Trump’s victory — and shortly after launching his personal bid — wherein he spoke with voters within the Bronx and Queens about why they voted for the president.
“I informed the president that whereas our marketing campaign started on Oct. 23, there have been way more individuals who discovered of us after his victory due to the video that we shared, the place I went to 2 of the neighborhoods that noticed the biggest swings in direction of him within the election,” Mamdani mentioned. “And I requested New Yorkers who they voted for and why, and the overwhelming majority of the New Yorkers that I spoke to voted for the president. And once I requested them why, they got here again to value of dwelling, value of dwelling, value of dwelling.”
“And I informed the president that one among my focuses had been, within the marketing campaign was the right way to win these voters again, and chief amongst them was not simply younger males, but additionally Asian voters, immigrant voters,” Mamdani continued. “There have been so many obituaries being written in regards to the Democratic Social gathering’s capability to interact with these voters or win them ever once more. And once I requested these voters what it could take to come back again, they informed me it was a give attention to an financial agenda.”
Mamdani mentioned the teachings he took away from these exchanges served as a “via line in our complete marketing campaign,” including that he made the case to Trump that affordability “would proceed to be my focus” in workplace.
In entrance of the cameras, Trump finally praised Mamdani as “a really rational individual” who “actually needs to see New York be nice once more.” Reached after the assembly, a senior White Home official mentioned the dialogue “couldn’t have gone higher!”
However as operatives and political leaders on the progressive left and the MAGA proper search to nationalize Mamdani’s picture for the midterm elections and past, Republicans didn’t specific fear that Trump was throwing a wrench of their plans. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, mentioned he thinks Trump “should be open to satisfy with anyone,” whereas Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, mentioned he felt the confab was “what I’d name a courtesy assembly.”
“I don’t assume he’s going to turn out to be too shut with him,” added Cornyn, who’s going through re-election in Texas.
However Mamdani lately had one other dialogue with the president. The mayor-elect informed NY1’s “Inside Metropolis Corridor” final week that the 2 males had “spoken briefly” since their preliminary assembly.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., informed NBC Information he was shocked the assembly final month between the 2 males was as “collegial” because it was, chalking it as much as how a lot the president “cares about New York Metropolis.”
As for Trump-Mamdani voters, Hoeven mentioned he believed they had been spurred by issues over affordability.
“Within the case of President Trump, his insurance policies actually will assist with affordability,” Hoeven mentioned. “And I feel a few of them are hoping Mamdani’s will as a result of he says they are going to. However they gained’t.”
‘Simply had a vibe that they are going to get alongside’
Value of dwelling was entrance of thoughts for Rodriguez, who mentioned that though he solid a poll for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., within the 2020 Democratic presidential major, he didn’t really feel “represented or seen” by political leaders apart from Trump and Mamdani, each of whom rose to energy as antiestablishment outsiders from Queens.
However up to now in Trump’s first yr in workplace in his second time period, Rodriguez says he’s but to have his financial issues addressed by the president. Rodriguez additionally described Trump’s dealing with of the discharge of knowledge surrounding the late convicted intercourse offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein to be “absurd.”
“It’s a state of affairs the place I’m nonetheless hanging in there,” Rodriguez mentioned of his help for Trump. “I imply, being practical, as a result of I’m a sensible individual, I really feel just like the numbers aren’t exhibiting. A lot hasn’t actually modified. … I’m nonetheless using with him, as a result of I’m giving him the prospect.”
Rodriguez acknowledged that “it takes time for the results” of Trump’s agenda “to kick in,” however, he added, “it’s not likely seeming like rather a lot is happening.”
“I heard that he’s going to go across the nation making an attempt to clarify to voters … what they’re doing,” he mentioned, noting that the latest disruption of meals stamps throughout the federal government shutdown hit him instantly. “That was one of many instances I used to be personally affected. You’ve bought to have a look at your self and be like, wait a minute, that is actually not what I voted for. However like I mentioned, I’m nonetheless hanging in there. I’m undecided what it’ll take for me to utterly sever ties. I nonetheless assume there’s a shot that rather a lot could possibly be finished.”
On Mamdani, Rodriguez mentioned he first caught wind of his candidacy when former classmates had been partaking with the 34-year-old’s content material on social media. And what actually garnered his consideration was seeing Mamdani earlier this yr confront Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, in Albany, which Rodriguez mentioned confirmed “this man’s bought balls.” He needs to see Mamdani obtain his agenda on housing, little one care and free bus service.
Recalling the Oval Workplace assembly between the president and the mayor-elect, Rodriguez mentioned he loved when the 2 males mentioned fee hikes by Consolidated Edison, the utility firm in New York Metropolis.
“From the Oval Workplace assembly alone, I noticed the Queens in them each,” he mentioned, including, “I simply had a vibe that they are going to get alongside.”
Zohran Mamdani was born in Uganda to oldsters of Indian descent and moved to New York when he was seven, changing into a U.S. citizen in 2018.
Ron Barba, an actor and inventory dealer who went viral within the run-up to Election Day for sporting a “MAGA for Mamdani” T-shirt at marketing campaign occasions, backed Mamdani after supporting Trump in 2020 and 2024. He described himself as a “reluctant” Trump voter final yr who was nervous the president was at the least partially chargeable for additional dividing the nation, although he mentioned he “couldn’t stand” then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I used to be going to vote for Robert Kennedy as a result of he was within the center on the time,” Barba mentioned. “However then impulsively, he shifted over to the proper and went to Trump. And so then I mentioned, ‘Nicely, now I’ve nobody that I actually need, so I’m simply going to vote for Trump once more.’ And instantly, about three months in, I used to be like, ‘Right here we go once more with the combating.’”
“So I used to be on the lookout for somebody new,” Barba mentioned. “I didn’t notice that I used to be, however I used to be on the lookout for somebody new. And when Zohran gained within the major mayoral election, I began to analysis him, and I fell in love with him. … I like an underdog.”
Each Barba and Rodriguez expressed a want for the nation to be extra united — they usually see a Mamdani partnership with Trump as one thing that would bridge divides.
The place Trump and Mamdani go from right here
For his half, Mamdani has mentioned that whereas he’s open to working with Trump on cost-of-living points, he mentioned he expressed deep issues about elevated immigration enforcement within the metropolis. And in an interview with NBC Information’ “Meet the Press” following his assembly with Trump final month, Mamdani mentioned he nonetheless believes the president is a “fascist” and a “despot.”
A former White Home official, granted anonymity to talk candidly in regards to the assembly, mentioned the 2 hit it off in addition to they did “as a result of they don’t have any purpose to beef proper now.”
“There’s no friction level, however there might be ultimately,” this individual mentioned. “POTUS was very nice to Biden throughout their transition [meeting]. I’m not holding my breath pondering they’re going to be bros for the approaching years.”
Social media customers ran wild on-line when, at some point after the 2 males met within the Oval Workplace, the president was seen on the White Home grounds carrying an overcoat with a big crimson scarf, prompting comparisons with Mamdani’s model.
“We didn’t focus on model,” Mamdani informed NBC Information. “We stored our dialog to value of dwelling, by and huge.”
Nonetheless, Mamdani has felt a newfound heat and “elevated openness” from his one-time opponents “not merely for the reason that assembly itself, but additionally for the reason that election.”
“For everybody’s completely different set of opinions on the competing visions for this metropolis, New Yorkers additionally perceive themselves as being New Yorkers and are due to this fact dedicated to the success of that metropolis and I’ve been heartened by that,” he mentioned.
Mamdani added that he spoke with Trump about Barba, who was carrying his “MAGA for Mamdani” shirt at his Forest Hills rally in October.
“There are various New Yorkers for whom their query is much less the way you describe your politics, and it’s extra of, ‘Does your politics embrace me in it?’” Mamdani mentioned. “And the inclusion isn’t just of a way of self, however relatively of the battle that that individual is going through.”
For Rodriguez, he’s hopeful that Trump’s assembly with Mamdani may mark a brand new, less-heated chapter in politics.
“I’d love extra unity,” he mentioned. “No extra combating, please.”
