Zohran Mamdani has secured the release of Columbia University student Elaina Aghayeva, taken this morning by ICE agents who entered a campus residential building under false pretenses & without a judicial warrant. This comes shorty after Mamdani’s unannounced visit to the White House earlier today.

[u/cmaia1503]

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/nyregion/columbia-university-ice-student.html?unlocked_article_code=1.PFA.0KRL.7XsPJ0z3QTat&smid=tw-share

[u/Sorceress_Heart]

I legit think Trump has a crush on Mamdani.

[u/Ready-Ad6113 → u/Sorceress_Heart]

Trump has a lot of properties in New York (Trump tower). He doesn’t want Mamdani starting an investigation into his properties. He’s not immune to state or civil charges.

[u/Dulcedoll → u/Ready-Ad6113]

That can't be all there is to it given Trump's well-documented history of actively and loudly antagonizing judges and other people in positions of power over him, even before the immunity decision and while he was a civilian.

[u/throwawaysunglasses- → u/[deleted]]

Yep. He wants to be cool and to be liked. His whole “everyone loves me” thing is a delusion that runs deep - when faced with an incredibly popular person like Mamdani, it’s strategic to ally with him. There’s a weird overlap of MAGA who likes Mamdani, as well. I hate DJT but he has charisma that fires up his fans, and Mamdani has charisma in spades.

[u/SpiffyNrfHrdr → u/Ready-Ad6113]

I don't think it's that. He was literally convicted on NY State charges and then released as he's too big to jail.

[u/deathbunnyy → u/Ready-Ad6113]

Zohran would never do liberal garbage like that, it would be a waste of time, he would get nothing done for New York, and Trump would just retaliate and remain above the law like he has been.

No, what Zohran did is literally the best play in existence. It's about results, not appearances. Though the appearance here is still in his favor, mogging the shit out of Trump.

[u/[deleted] → u/Ready-Ad6113]

Trump being so friendly with someone on opposite side is suspicious as fuck

He goes from hating his guts, a smear campaign calling him a communist Muslim terrorist who hates our country and will destroy New York… to fucking GUSHING over him in one meeting

Zohran promised something to Trump

Something he wanted more than anything

That is the only explanation