Radio Host Torches Democrats For ‘Playing Footsie’ With Trump

Charlamagne tha God lambasted Democratic leaders and high-profile party figures for “playing footsie” with President Donald Trump even after outwardly labeling him a fascist.

In a new interview with political news outlet Mediaite, the radio host noted that Democrats may have impaired their own messaging by continuing to play nice with a president they’ve warned the public against.

As evidence of this contradiction, Charlamagne cited the viral moment in which former President Barack Obama was seen laughing with Trump at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral in January.

“You wouldn’t be playing footsie with a fascist at a funeral, right, President Obama?” he quipped.

The “Breakfast Club” co-host then aimed former President Joe Biden for calling Trump a “threat to democracy” — only to give him a seemingly friendly greeting while welcoming him to the White House after his 2024 election win.

“The problem I have is when politicians use that language but then don’t act like that person is what you just told us that person was,” he argued. “And what that does, right, if you’re Joe Biden and you say Donald Trump is a ‘threat to democracy,’ but then when Donald Trump wins the presidency, you’re standing outside the White House saying, ‘Welcome home!’”

Charlamagne, who was born Lenard Larry McKelvey, didn’t end his criticisms of Democratic leaders there; he then unleashed on New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

“Or if you’re Zohran Mamdani and you say Donald Trump is a fascist, but then you’re saying you can work with a fascist. And I’m like, ‘Well, that’s not how fascism works.’ Never in the history of mankind has somebody worked with a fascist, and it’s worked. Like, that’s actually how you normalize fascism.”

Mamdani and Trump had publicly traded verbal blows for months before the self-proclaimed democratic socialist triumphed in the New York mayoral election last month. The pair famously traded smiles and handshakes in what appeared to be a cordial meeting at the White House weeks later.

Following the meeting, Mamdani, who had labeled Trump a fascist, said he stood by his previous comments, even after the meeting.

HuffPost has reached out to representatives for Mamdani and Obama for comment.

Charlamagne continued, telling host Colby Hall that when the left-wing party works with people they’ve deemed a fascist, it makes the term “mean absolutely nothing.”

“Think about the fear that you’re instilling in people when you call somebody a fascist. When you say that they’re the next Hitler, think about what that does to society,” he explained. “But then you politicians, y’all are in the White House just having a drink together and saying y’all can work together.”

Later in the interview, Charlamagne addressed his rift with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who recently referred to him as “Charlatan the Fraud.” Charlamagne has previously roasted Jeffries as ”Chuck E. Cheese Obama” and ”AIPAC Shakur.”

Calling Jeffries’ comeback “corny,” he told Hall that he doesn’t “even know him.”

“It’s impossible for me to have a real beef with a politician … I pay a lot of money in taxes,” Charlamagne added. “So, I reserve the right to criticize any of our elected officials. That’s literally what America is all about.”

Watch Charlamagne tha God’s interview with Mediaite below.