Adams has grown friendlier to Trump in recent months after the Democratic mayor was indicted on corruption charges in September, and he has mirrored the president-elect’s “rigged justice system” sentiments.
The mayor’s office announced that Adams was heading to Trump’s Florida estate on Thursday, though the meeting did not appear on his public schedule.
“Mayor Adams has made quite clear his willingness to work with President-elect Trump and his incoming administration on behalf of New Yorkers — and that partnership with the federal government is critical to New York City’s success,” New York City Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy said in a statement.
“Tomorrow, Mayor Adams will sit down with President-elect Trump and discuss New Yorkers’ priorities,” he added. “The mayor looks forward to having a productive conversation with the incoming president on how we can move our city and country forward.”
Trump has also been friendly with Adams, relating to him at the Manhattan-located Al Smith Dinner in September.
“We were persecuted, Eric,” Trump said then. “I was persecuted, and so are you, Eric.”
Trump said a few months later that he would consider pardoning Adams.
Adams was indicted on five federal corruption charges in September in connection to allegations that he “illegally accepted travel and gifts through the Turkish government” and solicited and received improper campaign donations from foreign citizens. He also allegedly received heavily discounted travel and fraudulently accepted public matching funds for his campaign.
The mayor dismissed the charges at the time of his indictment.
“It is now my belief that the federal government intends to charge me with crimes. If so, these charges would be entirely false based on lies,” he said. “For months, leaks and rumors have been aimed at me to undermine my credibility and paint me as guilty.”
The mayor’s trial is set for April, two months before the June 24 Democratic primary in the 2025 New York City mayoral race. A host of Democrats are mounting a challenger to Adams’s mayoral seat, including city Comptroller Brad Lander and former city Comptroller Scott Stringer.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has also been rumored to have an interest in running for mayor.
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Adams has been wildly unpopular since his indictment and is viewed as having dealt poorly with the immigrant crisis in the city. A recent poll showed him near the bottom in support for mayoral contenders with Cuomo leading the pack.
A conviction in his corruption case could tank his mayoral chances, but Trump could also save him from serving any time if he decides to pardon him.
