NEW YORK — As the presidential election approaches, one might expect the prominent Democratic leader of New York City to take aim at Republican candidate Donald Trump. However, Mayor Eric Adams has opted for a different strategy amidst his own federal corruption investigation. During a press conference on Tuesday, Adams sidestepped over a dozen inquiries related to Trump and his policies.
Rather than denouncing Trump’s proposal for what would be the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history, Adams dismissed the initiative as merely “hypothetical.” He refrained from addressing Trump’s recent misleading comments concerning the Central Park Five, a group of men wrongfully convicted of a crime, and directed reporters to consult their legal representatives. Furthermore, he did not disclose when he last had a conversation with Trump.
In a surprising turn, Adams directed his frustrations towards his own Democratic party, expressing that it was disparaging to query whether Trump may be a fascist, and he urged party leaders to tone down the heated rhetoric leading up to the election.
“With everything affecting the daily lives of New Yorkers, are we really asking if someone is a fascist or a Hitler?” Adams remarked. “That’s offensive to me.” His comments reflect a pattern of defending Trump, which has intensified following his own indictment on federal corruption charges. Adams has insinuated—without offering proof—that his critical stance towards President Joe Biden’s immigration policies may have led to the legal troubles he is facing.
Should Trump secure the presidency, he may have the capability to terminate the corruption case against Adams or potentially issue him a pardon. When pressed at the press briefing on whether he was seeking a pardon in the event of a guilty verdict, Adams chose not to comment.
When inquired about his voting intentions for the presidential election, Adams hinted at a prior endorsement but did not explicitly mention Vice President Kamala Harris. “I’m not going to do an annual endorsement refresher,” he stated dismissively.
However, it was his reluctance to oppose Trump’s planned deportations that stirred particular backlash on that day. In response to a direct question regarding his stance on the controversial plan—described by Trump as a “bloody story”—Adams stated he would not engage in “hypotheticals.” This led several of Adams’ likely challengers in the upcoming Democratic mayoral primary to interpret his remarks as an indication of alignment with Trump.
“It’s now evident that the mayor perceives his political future intertwined with the former president’s and is willing to abandon the core values of our city for that connection,” remarked Queens Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, who is set to run against Adams in the mayoral primary. “It’s reckless, unacceptable, and wrong.”
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who could ascend to the mayoralty if Adams were to step down, called Adams’ comments “disgraceful” and suggested that the mayor is so influenced by Trump’s rhetoric that he cannot distance himself from it.
Trump has reciprocated the affection, expressing gratitude towards Adams during a rally in Madison Square Garden, stating, “Mayor Adams has been treated very badly,” and praising his performance.
The rally also featured disparaging jokes and racial slurs, including a comedian’s quip that likened Puerto Rico to a “floating island of garbage.” In response to this, Adams acknowledged that some remarks from the rally participants were “inappropriate,” yet maintained, “You can’t demonize an entire population based on the actions of those who attend.” When directly questioned about disagreeing with any of Trump’s comments, Adams briskly replied, “Next question.”