New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani revealed an unexpected moment from his recent White House visit with President Donald Trump. During an appearance on The Adam Friedland Show, Mamdani said he noticed a coffee-table book titled UFC at the White House while waiting for his meeting. The discovery surprised him. He had no idea the White House planned to host a UFC event on the South Lawn next June.
Mamdani said he flipped through the book and found visualisations of an octagon cage set on the historic grounds. Trump first teased the event in July as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. It will also mark his 80th birthday on June 14, 2026. When asked if he planned to attend, Mamdani laughed and said he wouldn’t.
In a separate interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Mamdani repeated his belief that Trump is a “fascist” and a “despot.” He added that his views on Trump had not changed since their meeting. Their earlier exchange went viral when Trump stepped in during a press interaction and joked that Mamdani could simply repeat the label rather than explain it. Many online users noted the unusual moment of ease between the two leaders.
