Garcettti strikes friendlier tone with Trump despite previous criticism

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti spoke by phone to President-elect Donald Trump last week, expressing willingness to work together on issues relating to the economy and infrastructure.

The move marks an about-face for Garcetti, who previously told reporters that Trump was a bigot, sexist and racist, who should not be normalized as a candidate.

Some activists cautioned Garcetti against making nice with “The Apprentice” star, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“If Trump plays him for a fool, Garcetti is going to look bad,” Brent Wilkes, national director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, told the Times. “And there will be progressives that are angry that he didn’t take a tougher stance.”

Mayors of other large, diverse cities, such as New York’s Bill de Blasio and Chicago’s Rahm Emanuel, have publicly made much stronger statements against Trump’s controversial views on immigration.

According to a statement released by the mayor’s office, Garcetti stressed the importance of immigrants in L.A.’s economy, and the need for immigration reform.

The city is slated to receive $500 million in federal funding this year, and is also competing to host the 2024 Olympics–a bid which Trump supports. [Los Angeles Times] — Gabrielle Paluch