Trump ‘surprised’ Mamdani ‘hit me’ on Venezuela — but praises NYC mayor’s ‘great personality’

President Trump said Thursday he was “surprised” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticized his Saturday raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Mamdani, who took office two days before the raid, publicly criticized Trump and even briefly phoned the president to privately object to the ouster of the fellow socialist, who is now facing federal drug charges.

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“You know, I met him, he came to the Oval Office, and we’ve had some nice conversations and very good. And then he hit me a little bit on the tremendous victory — and you would say it was a tremendous victory — on Venezuela,” Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt in an interview.

“And I said, ‘Gee, I thought he would have at least waited a month.’ I was surprised that he hit me on that, but he did. So what are you going to do? I expected it. I just thought it would be maybe three or four weeks instead of immediately, because I do get along with him.”

Trump added: “He’s got a great personality, he’s a nice guy. His policies are not good, but maybe he changes. You know, that’s what I would view, because I want to do everything I can to help New York… I hope New York will thrive. But typically, those policies… in history, those policies have never work.”