Morning Wire — “Trump Meets Mamdani & Epstein Fallout Continues”

Date: November 21, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley, Georgia Howe
Guests: Amanda Prestigiacomo (DW Reporter), Megan Basham (DW Culture Reporter), Tim Pierce (DW Reporter)

Episode Overview

This Morning Wire episode provides in-depth analysis on three major news stories:

• President Trump's high-profile White House meeting with NYC’s Democratic Socialist mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani
• Fallout and political shockwaves from the newly released Jeffrey Epstein files
• The latest jobs report exceeding expectations, but public economic skepticism remains high

Each segment blends headline updates with on-the-ground reporting, expert analysis, and direct quotes from key figures.

1. Trump Meets Zoran Mamdani: An Unlikely White House Summit

Key Discussion Points

• Despite a contentious, at times hostile, mayoral campaign, President Trump is meeting with Zoran Mamdani, the far-left mayor-elect of New York City (03:37).
• Mamdani has softened his rhetoric, citing shared concerns with Trump voters, particularly regarding cost of living issues.
• The meeting’s agenda includes public safety, economic security, and affordability for New Yorkers.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Mamdani reaches across the aisle:

  “When I asked those New Yorkers who they voted for and why, I met many who voted for President Trump and they told me it was the affordability crisis... We ran a campaign focused on the same cost of living. And what we found, actually, is that 1 in 10 New Yorkers who voted for Trump ended up voting for our campaign.”
  — Zoran Mamdani, NYC mayor-elect ([04:34])

• Change in tone:

  "That's a far cry from his victory speech just a few weeks ago when he said that he would be Trump-proofing New York City, and he called Trump a despot."
  — Amanda Prestigiacomo, DW Reporter ([05:08])

• Sharp words in the past:

  "Trump has really blasted Mamdani. He's called him a 100% communist lunatic... Mamdani has notably proposed free buses, universal childcare, freezing rents, and a new Department of Community Safety... Trump has also said that Mamdani might have to be arrested if he follows through on his pledge to stop federal ICE officers from deporting illegals in the city."
  — Amanda Prestigiacomo ([06:16])

• Mamdani’s defiance:

  “So, Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, I have four words for you. Turn the volume up. Because the Donald Trumps of our city have grown far too comfortable taking advantage of their tenants, we will put an end to the culture of corruption that has allowed billionaires like Trump to evade taxation and exploit tax breaks.”
  — Zoran Mamdani ([07:14])

Takeaway

This surprise meeting signals shifting strategic alliances and an open, if tense, dialogue over federal support for New York City. Both leaders enter with a history of public antagonism but under growing pressure to cooperate on core issues.

2. Epstein Files Fallout: Transparency and Political Risks

Key Discussion Points

• President Trump has signed a bill mandating the release of the controversial Jeffrey Epstein files, though some exceptions exist for victim privacy, national security, and ongoing investigations ([09:01]).
• The documents must be released within 30 days and will include flight records, emails, and details of plea deals.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Pam Bondi’s role:

  "That measure is now going to require Pam Bondi to release all of these unclassified Epstein documents within 30 days. So we're talking everything from flight records to emails to plea deal details."
  — Megan Basham, DW Culture Reporter ([10:25])

• Political implications:

  "One of those is the perception, of course, of Trump's past association with Epstein. That appears to have hurt him. Also that resistance he had for a time to releasing all of those documents...We also have to look at how damaging this has been for Democrats as well."
  — Megan Basham ([11:20])

• Direct link to Congress:

  "The documents that have been released show that Epstein was feeding questions during a congressional hearing to Democratic Delegate Stacy Plaskett."
  — Megan Basham ([11:20])

• Plaskett’s response:

  "I got a text from Jeffrey Epstein, who at the time was my constituent, who was not public knowledge at that time that he was under federal investigation and who was sharing information with me."
  — Stacy Plaskett, Democratic Delegate ([12:00])

• Other public figures:

  “These newly released documents reveal that [Noam] Chomsky kept up friendly correspondence with Epstein, even offered him a sort of letter of recommendation. And we need to be clear, this came after Epstein was convicted in 2008 for trying to procure a child for prostitution… Harvard economist and former Clinton Treasury Secretary Larry Summers... continued to communicate with Epstein up till 2019, long after Epstein had been put in jail.”
  — Megan Basham ([12:17])

• Resignations:

  "Sommer says that he is resigning from the board of OpenAI, probably not the last resignation we're going to see as a result of these documents."
  — Megan Basham ([13:13])

Takeaway

The release of the Epstein files is causing political upheaval across party lines, implicating figures in Congress, academia, and finance. The story is evolving, with possible further resignations and investigations expected in the coming weeks.

3. September Jobs Report: Numbers Up, Public Skepticism Remains

Key Discussion Points

• The September jobs report exceeds expectations with 119,000 new positions—more than double projections ([14:16]).
• The unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 4.4%, and some downward revisions tempered the prior months’ results.
• The report is the only key labor data ahead of the December Federal Reserve meeting.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Vice President J.D. Vance on the numbers:

  "In the first 10 months of the Trump economy, we've increased take home pay by about $1,200, adjusting for inflation... the number of manufacturing hours worked in the economy is actually going up... the job growth go to native born American citizens."
  — J.D. Vance, Vice President ([14:44])

• Policy implications:

  "What happened under the Biden administration is to the extent there was any job growth at all, if you looked at the data, almost all of the net job creation... went to the foreign born. Now, of course, some of those people are illegal immigrants... that means that a lot of the job creation was actually going to illegal aliens who shouldn't have been in our country."
  — J.D. Vance ([14:44])

• Economist perspective:

  "Heather Long... expects the Fed to hold the interest rates steady... even though the jobs report has good numbers in September, the economy's four month average ending in September is only about 44,000 jobs added every month. She said that's just barely treading water."
  — Tim Pierce, DW Reporter ([15:49])

• Public perception:

  "Americans overall are not optimistic about where the economy is heading. Fox News released its latest national survey... 76% of voters view the economy negatively, worse than the 67% who felt that way in July and the 70% who said the same at the end of President Biden's term... about twice as many respondents say President Trump rather than Biden is responsible for the current economy. And three times as many say Trump's economic policies have hurt them about the same as said Biden's did last year."
  — Tim Pierce ([16:36])

Takeaway

While the administration touts strong jobs growth, most Americans remain deeply pessimistic about the economy. The numbers may boost confidence within the White House, but polling suggests an uphill battle for public opinion ahead of the midterms.

Notable Quotes (by Timestamp & Speaker)

• Zoran Mamdani (NYC Mayor-elect):
  [04:34] “When I asked those New Yorkers who they voted for and why, I met many who voted for President Trump...it was the affordability crisis.”
  [07:14] “So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you. Turn the volume up… we will put an end to the culture of corruption…”

• Amanda Prestigiacomo (DW Reporter):
  [06:16] “Trump has really blasted Mamdani. He’s called him a 100% communist lunatic…”

• Megan Basham (DW Culture Reporter):
  [11:20] "One of those is the perception, of course, of Trump's past association with Epstein. That appears to have hurt him."

• Stacy Plaskett (Democratic Delegate):
  [12:00] “I got a text from Jeffrey Epstein, who at the time was my constituent…”

• J.D. Vance (Vice President):
  [14:44] “In the first 10 months of the Trump economy, we've increased take home pay by about $1,200...”

• Tim Pierce (DW Reporter):
  [16:36] “Americans overall are not optimistic about where the economy is heading… 76% of voters view the economy negatively…”

Conclusion

This episode of Morning Wire offers a nuanced breakdown of major political events—Trump’s unprecedented meeting with Mamdani, the far-reaching Epstein file releases, and a jobs report that raises more questions than answers for American voters. The discussions capture both the headline news and the underlying tensions shaping U.S. politics and public trust as 2025 draws to a close.