New York City continues to serve as a center of momentum for the political far left, a trend highlighted this week through Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s endorsement of a recent immigrant candidate whose earlier remarks linked the September 11 attacks to what she described as America’s history of capitalism, racism, white supremacy, and Islamophobia.

The endorsement occurred Wednesday at a meeting organized by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Just days before his scheduled visit to the White House to meet President Donald Trump, Mamdani publicly backed Palestinian American activist Aber Kawas, who recently obtained a master’s degree in Islamic Liberation Theology. Kawas moved into the district she now hopes to represent only last year.

In a 2017 panel discussion, Kawas argued that systems of economic exploitation and racial hierarchy had shaped U.S. policy for generations. According to her comments at the time, she believed that centuries of colonization, resource extraction, and discrimination were part of a continuum whose effects could be seen in global conflicts and, in her view, were connected to the events of 9/11. She stated that capitalism, racism, white supremacy, and Islamophobia had historically been used as tools to dominate other regions and that these forces contributed to long-term geopolitical dynamics.

Kawas further emphasized that many communities in the Middle East and elsewhere have endured war and instability, which she attributed in part to U.S. and European foreign policies. Given the critical tone of her past statements, some observers have questioned why she chose to settle in the United States.

During the same 2017 discussion, she also remarked on what she saw as a double standard in global accountability. She argued that while some expect Muslim communities to apologize for terrorist attacks carried out by individuals, there is little equivalent acknowledgment, in her view, for atrocities such as slavery or colonial-era violence. Critics noted, however, that cycles of conquest and domination have existed across numerous cultures, including within the Middle East itself.

Additional controversy surrounds Kawas because of resurfaced posts from a Tumblr account in which she voiced support for Ahmed Ferhani, who was convicted in 2011 for plotting an attack on a Manhattan synagogue and sentenced to ten years in prison. Kawas referred to Ferhani as a “brother” and claimed his case reflected broader patterns of surveillance and entrapment targeting Muslim communities. She wrote emotionally about his reported suicide attempt and characterized his situation as evidence of deep suffering among people she considered part of her community.

While these past statements and online posts have drawn scrutiny, Mamdani’s endorsement remained firm during the DSA meeting, underscoring his ongoing commitment to candidates aligned with his political movement.

Just days later, Mamdani’s meeting with President Trump presented a stark contrast. Despite the sharp and often hostile rhetoric exchanged between them in previous years—Trump had publicly attacked Mamdani as a “100% Communist Lunatic” and a “total nut job”—their Oval Office encounter was noticeably cordial. According to reporting from the Associated Press, Trump expressed unexpected admiration for the mayor-elect, remarking that Mamdani might end up surprising many conservative voters.

For Mamdani, the meeting offered an opportunity to expand his political presence beyond New York City and demonstrate a willingness to cooperate with national leaders despite ideological differences. For Trump, it created a platform to discuss the high cost of living—an issue that has increasingly pressured his administration—and to show that he is willing to collaborate with political opponents if it benefits American citizens.

Both men highlighted areas of shared concern, especially regarding affordability and public safety in New York. Trump praised Mamdani’s positions on several economic issues, saying that the mayor-elect’s ideas on inflation aligned more closely with his own than many might assume. Mamdani, for his part, emphasized that their conversation focused primarily on common goals rather than disagreements.

“We’re going to be helping him, to make everybody’s dream come true—having a strong and very safe New York,” Trump said after the meeting.

Mamdani echoed the sentiment, noting that while he and Trump hold vastly different worldviews, he appreciated the president’s willingness to concentrate on areas where cooperation is possible. Their unexpectedly amicable interaction has raised questions about how supporters on both ends of the political spectrum will react, given the history of animosity between the two figures.