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Scott Bessent Praises Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Great Campaign,’ Calls Him ‘Clearly the Leader of the Democratic Party’

Scott Bessent, an investment executive who commented on a White House meeting, praised New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s campaign as "great" and called him "clearly the leader of the Democratic Party." Mamdani and President Trump held a surprisingly cordial joint press appearance after their meeting. On CNBC, Bessent applauded the president’s openness in inviting Mamdani but questioned the practicality of some of the mayor-elect’s policy ideas, saying the real test will be governance—public safety, sanitation, and reliable transit.

12:39 AM, 11/26/2025Politics

Scott Bessent, an investment executive who commented on the Oval Office meeting, praised New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday for running a "great campaign," calling the progressive politician "clearly the leader of the Democratic Party."

Mamdani visited the White House last Friday and held a surprisingly civil joint press appearance with President Donald Trump. Reporters pressed both men on a range of issues, but the exchange remained cordial, with light-hearted banter and an emphasis on constructive dialogue after months of heated rhetoric.

Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box, host Andrew Ross Sorkin asked Bessent for his reaction to the meeting, calling the encounter an Oval Office "curveball." Sorkin noted that, at least on affordability, the president and the mayor-elect appeared congenial.

"Andrew, I was in the room, and I think that you’ve got to have some admiration for a candidate who ran a campaign the way he did. It was a great, great campaign. He is clearly the leader of the Democratic Party now," Bessent said.

Bessent also praised President Trump’s decision to invite Mamdani, framing it as a sign of openness. He contrasted that with what he described as a lack of visible support from Senate leadership, saying Senator Chuck Schumer had not endorsed Mamdani and may not have met with him.

"My impression of the mayor-elect is he’s a young man with a lot of old ideas that have never worked," Bessent added. "Point to one example where policies like his have led to anything other than a decline. The practical everyday of keeping people safe, picking up the trash, making the subways run on time — we’ll see."

The exchange highlights how political adversaries can still find common ground in public forums, even as commentators and party leaders weigh in on the durability of campaign rhetoric versus the realities of governing.

Video of the Oval Office meeting and Bessent’s remarks is available through news outlets that covered the event.

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Scott Bessent Praises Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Great Campaign,’ Calls Him ‘Clearly the Leader of the Democratic Party’ - CRBC News