How Mamdani Won Trump Over! Playing Chess NOT Checkers!

I watched the news last week, you know, with M Dani, Zoran Mandani, the mayor of New York City, taking a uh special trip to the nation's capital. Um it was a secret unannounced second trip to the White House. He had been there before. You remember on November 21st, um, Mom Donnie visited the White House for the first time. Um, and obviously him and Trump emerged from that meeting smiling. Trump said, quote, "They agree on a lot more than I would have thought." End quote. And pledged to work with and pledged to work with together with Mum Donnie. And Trump had backed off his threats to cut federal funds and send the National Guard to New York City. Trump even went so far as to call the meeting with Madani a great honor on social media. Before I go into that, however, want to remind you of what their relationship was like prior to Mum Donnie getting elected because somewhere along the way, I'm not tooting my own horn. I'm simply reminding you of who the hell I am and the fact that I'm not taking sides. I'm a registered independent. There are some things I agree with the conservatives about. There are some things I I agree with the liberals about. And I go on a case-bycase basis. And people abhore that. Get the hell over it. I'm not changing. I'm not going to sit up there and just and just fall on one side of the aisle no matter what either side does. When you're right, I'll say you're right. When I think you're wrong, I'll say you're wrong. But it's something to point out. And I think as my team is on this call and people are looking at me and people are watching me bring this stuff up, whether it was with Jasmine Crockett, Gavin Nuome, Governor Pritsker, Mayor Johnson in Chicago, the list goes on and on. All I've been trying to say is that whether you like it or not, Donald Trump is not going away until 2028. 2028, I'm sorry. He's not going away. He's going to be the president till 2028. I mean, as much as that people may be abhored by that in some circles, he's not going away. There's nothing you can do about it. Do I think he's going to be able to circumvent the third 22nd amendment of the Constitution and run for a third term? No. If he was somehow able to pull that off, I would be recruiting Barack Obama to run against him. Let's get it on. But I don't I don't think that's happening. And I think that when we see what happened with Iran and the fact that Marco Rubio was in the middle of it all as Secretary of State, but JD Vance, the vice president, had very, very little to do with it. Clearly, he has been pushed back. Clearly, Marco Rubio has gained traction. And clearly, in my estimation, unless something catastrophic happens, Marco Rubio is going to be the Republican nominee for the presidency of the United States of America in 2028. I think we're seeing JD Vance slip. Slip. I'll get into Tucker Carlson and what he's had to say about all of this another day because obviously he finds and sides with JD Vance more favorably than he does with Trump, Rubio, or anybody else. We'll get into that another day. But I noticed that transpiring. But I digress. I want to get back to mom Donnie because mom Donnie mom Donnie is a bigger issue and I'm not tooting my own horn. I'm not patting myself on the back. I just think this is an example of what I've been trying to say. I keep reminding y'all I don't want us fall into fearongering and all of this other stuff to decide who our commanderin-chief is going to be every four years. I want your policies up against their policies. We pick the ones who have the best policies, we make sure that they cater to America's interests first, but just as importantly, as a black man, the black community, I want us to stand up and say, "Hey, flatter me. Work for my vote, my vote." Don't think that it automatically comes your way. You got to earn it. We've been giving the Democratic party our vote above 80% since the 60s. I'm not saying that should change. I'm saying let them earn it as opposed to not doing anything for us, focusing on even smaller constituents than us. Cuz we make up 13.6% of the population. Stop concerning yourself with 1% of the population if not less when it comes to the interest of this country and the interest of communities that fall under the purview of this c of this country. Look out for us and don't just be in our face saying that the other side is racist. So don't vote for them. Like I'm supposed to believe you're not. Nah. Flatter me. You want my You want me to buy a house? Show me the house. FLATTER ME. WANT ME TO BUY A CAR? LET ME TEST DRIVE IT. FLATTER ME. WANT ME TO BUY SOME CLOTHES? THESE FLY SUIT, this fly suit I GOT ON RIGHT NOW. FLATTER ME. LET ME see it on me. I ain't giving you anything. earn it. It's all I'm saying. And I bring that up because it's relevant. Do you remember when Manny was running for office? Throughout the campaign, he repeatedly called Trump himself Trump's quote unquote worst nightmare. Remember his victory speech on election night in November? He went formal. He went further calling Trump a despot and declaring that if anyone could show how to defeat him, it's the city that gave rise to him. Remember how Trump fired back at that time in November? Just November. It's only March now. This is November. Trump fired back, call him Donni Court a communist and someone who doesn't know a damn thing while also threatening to withhold federal funds from New York City. But just days after Mam Donnie won, remember he publicly declared Trump was a fascist, a desperate, and said Trump was quote attacking democracy end quote, used the language consistently during the campaign. Trump in turn had called him a communist lunatic and a Jew hater and threatened to send a national guard to New York City and cut billions in federal funding if Mandani was elected. Fast forward three months later once Mum Donnie pivoted. First he visited the White House for the first time. Next thing you know, Trump backed off of threats to cut federal funders to send in the National Guard to New York City. Quote, "Right now, other places needed more." Trump said when a reporter asked Madani if he still considered Trump a fascist, Trump jumped in with a joke. That's okay. You can just say yes. It's easier than explaining it. Then patted M Donnie on the back. Did y'all forget that? Fast forward to last week. Manny makes a secret unannounced second trip to the White House. Why? He wanted to get an immigr an immigrant that was a Colombia University student who was being detained by ICE released. I'm trying to if I mispronounce her name, forgive me. It's it's Elamina Akaiva Aza Bajan. That's where she's from. Shortly after the meeting, Trump called Mom Donnie directly and told him she was being released from ICE detention. Mom Donnie right there just got off the phone with President Trump in our meeting. I shared my concerns about her who was detained by ICE this morning. He just informed me that she will be released imminently. And sure enough, Trump kept his word. By the way, that was the second reason M Donnie went there. The first reason is that he proposed a $21 billion plan to build 12,000 units of affordable housing in Queens. One of the largest federal housing investments in modern history. If you remember, Trump posed for photos holding a mock daily news cover of Mamani. Mamani brought uh reading to him. Trump to the city, let's build. Remember, Manny brought two newspaper front pages. The famous 1975 uh Gerald Ford to the city drop deadad cover and a mock version of it with Trump's face reading Trump to the city let's build. Trump grinning and holding both up for the cameras and not ruling out the possibility that he'll get federal funding for the housing project. Chess, not checkers. Chess, not checkers. Mom Donnie pivoted. By the way, it didn't stop mom Donnie from calling him out once he elected to bomb to bomb Iran again. Let's look at that tweet. Put that up, please. This is M Donnie. Today's military strikes on Iran carried out by the United States and Israel mark a catastrophic escalation and an illegal war of aggression. Bombing cities, killing civilians, opening a new threat of war. Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace. I'm focused on making sure that every New Yorker is safe. I have been in contact with our police commissioner and emergency man management officials. We're taking pro proactive steps including increasing coordination across agencies and enhancing patrols of sensitive locations out of an abundance of caution. Additionally, I want to speak directly to the Iranian New Yorkers. You are part of the fabric of this city. You are our neighbors, small business owners, students, artists, workers, and community leaders. You will be safe. Do you notice what Mum Donnie did, ladies and gentlemen? He did not call Trump out of his name. He did not insult the president. He simply disagreed and said so because he has bigger fish to fry. Like the $21 billion he's looking for in federal funding. Chess, not checkers. Chess, not checkers. It's very simple. It's not that damn complicated. if you're going to figure it out. Another person who could speak to this is Governor Gretchen Whitmer out of Michigan. Remember during the 2024 campaign trail, she was stumping for Kla Harris. After the election, after Kla Harris lost, what did she do? She calculated she made a calculated pivot. Vner worked with Trump on Michigan's core economic interest. Visited the White House three times, took a collaborative tone, focused on shared priorities like manufacturing, defense, and the Great Lakes. She was careful not to publicly attack Trump even as he disagreed as she disagreed with his tariff policies. What did it get her? She secured 21 new F-15X Eagle 2 fighter jets for Selfridge Air National Guard base. A base that supports 5,000 jobs and $850 million in annual economic income. Trump even called her on stage at the event, praised her as very effective, and said she'd done quote a very good job. She also secured Great Lakes invasive carp funding and federal disaster relief for Northern Michigan's ice storm. Quote from Trump. She's a Democrat. They said, "Don't have her here." I said, "No, she's going to be here. She's done a very good job." Chess, not checkers. Chess, not checkers. Because it ain't about you and how you feel individually about him. It's about the constituents you represent. $850 million, $5,000 jobs. She saved it by GOING THERE AND NOT INSULTING HIM. DISAGREEING, YES. INSULTING, NO. He didn't care that you disagreed with him. He cares if you INSULT HIM. WHY SHOULD THAT MATTER? BECAUSE HE'S THE president and you need federal help and he can maneuver federal help because HE HAS BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS AVAILABLE TO HIM AT LEAST UNTIL THE MIDTERMS. THAT'S how chess not checkers. Another person who listened to that advice, Eric Adams, former mayor of New York City. All it did was keep him out of jail. That's all it did. Figuratively speaking, it wasn't much when Nicki Minaj got the gold card. It doesn't make her automatically assistant or whatever, but she damn sure don't worry about having to be deported if he's here. Chestnut checkers. Meanwhile, what are the examples of those who preferred to do otherwise? Gavin Newsome, we know he's positioned himself as Trump, as Trump's chief antagonist from day one, called a special special legislative session to quote unquote Trump proof California right after the 2024 election and has relentlessly trolled Trump on social media. called Trump temporary at the Munich secretary security conference rather passed state laws challenging federal policies launched lawsuit after lawsuit against Trump administration actions mockingly engaged Trump in social media battles so what did Trump do he scrapped 1.2 2 billion in federal funding for California's hydrogen hub. 2,00 200,000 plus jobs threatened. 200,000 jobs threatened. The administration canceled additional grants across multiple California programs. Trump repeatedly attacks Newsome by calling them new scum. Told reporters two the two worst and most naive governors in the nation are Nuome and Pritsker. With Pritsker, he's been the most combative against Trump. We all know this. Told Democrats they should give Republicans not a moment of peace. Declared Trump had quote no idea what he's talking about. Held press conferences opposing Trump's immigration crackdown. Called Trump's actions a political attack on Democratic states. Rallied other Democratic governors to resist. What did Trump do? The administration froze 10 billion in welfare. 10 billion in welfare. Welfare funding across five Democratic le states with Illinois as a primary target. Trump threatened to send National Guard troops and immigration agents into Chicago. We know this. How about Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago? We know he's been a disaster. Ain't no way around that. Okay, you see black citizens in Chicago complaining about him. He's been one of the most vocal progressive critics of Trump's immigration agenda and has openly clashed with the administration on multiple fronts. Okay. Aligned with Prrisca to hold joint press conferences against Trump's immigration raids, refused to cooperate with ICE. publicly called out Trump's characterization of Chicago as a hell hole. So what does Trump do? Cuts grants for gun violence prevention programs in Chicago. The administration threatened to stage a major immigration enforcement blitz into the city. Trump publicly called Chicago the worst and most dangerous city in the world. A line that fueled the confrontation. So in closing, what do we have? Democrats who played nice and secured wins. federal housing funds, ICE detainee released, 21 fighter jets, Great Lakes funding, disaster relief, federal corruption charges dropped entirely. Democrats who resisted and faced his wrath. Newsome $1.2 billion hydrogen hub cut targeted grants cancellations. Pritska10 billion welfare freeze, National Guard threats and lawsuits. Johnson, Mayor Johnson, gun violence grants, immigration raids, public mockery. None of this is to applaud Trump. 10 billion10 billion in welfare funding across five Democratic le states. No way in hell he should be applauded for that. He should be ashamed. Gun violence prevention programs in Chicago, you cut grants for that while wanting the streets to be safe. If you did that, you might not have had to send the National Guard, but here you are doing that. Nuome, I'm not going to completely condemn Newsome because Trump calling him Newsome, calling him out his name, disrespecting him. I get all of that. But in the end, what it shows is that those who at least make an effort to appease the commanderin-chief get favorable treatment more so than those who don't. I'm so surprised. No, Obama wouldn't do something like this. No, Biden in all likelihood didn't do something like this. No, Hillary Rodm Clinton probably would not have done something like this. The list goes on and on. I get it. But in the end, you deal with the hand that you dealt. What are you going to do about it other than whine and moan about what he's doing? You better figure it out. And if you don't figure it out, you better figure out a way to have a better relationship with this man for the next couple of years. That is how you move forward. Chess, not checkers. Whether it's stuff abroad like Iran or whether it's stuff on the home front, we got to find a way to balance things out and get something out of it. Period. Chess, not checkers.

Stephen A. breaks down Mayor Mamdani’s dramatic pivot with President Trump - from calling him a “fascist” to securing White House meetings and major federal leverage. Is this hypocrisy… or high-level political chess? From affordable housing funding to ICE detainee negotiations, Stephen A. explains why some Democrats are winning by playing it smart - and why others are losing big. Chess. Not checkers. https://sxm.app.link/YouTubeSAS Connect with me on social media: Twitter: https://x.com/stephenasmith Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenasmith/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephenasmith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephena/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-a-smith-763b31194/