President-elect Donald Trump indicated that he would consider pardoning New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is facing a slew of federal corruption charges, during a recent press conference.
Trump suggested that the indictments against Adams could be motivated by political concerns, given the mayor’s criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of the border crisis, a theory several have floated, including President-elect Donald Trump.
When asked whether he would consider a pardon for Mayor Adams, Trump replied: “Yeah, I would. I think that he was treated pretty unfairly.”
Trump acknowledged that he has not yet “seen the gravity” of the allegations but said, “It seems like being upgraded in an airplane many years ago.”
“I know probably everybody here has been upgraded. They see you’re all stars, and they say, I want to upgrade that person from NBC. I’m going to upgrade him. And that would mean you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison,” the president-elect continued.
Trump intimated that Adams’ criticism of the Biden administration could be the actual impetus of the charges against him.
“When he essentially went against what was happening with the migrants coming in, and he made some pretty strong statements like, ‘This is not sustainable.’ I said, ‘You know what? He’ll be indicted soon.’ And I said it, not as a prediction, a little bit light-heartedly, but I said it. I said, ‘He’s going to be indicted.’ And a few months later, he got indicted. So I would certainly look at that."
President-elect Donald Trump said he would consider pardoning New York City Mayor Eric Adams, saying Adams was treated "pretty unfairly." https://t.co/MwMsppaLfU pic.twitter.com/7D8Nq9DOcW
— ABC News (@ABC) December 16, 2024
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Adams is currently facing five federal charges, including bribery and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The case centers on alleged illegal campaign contributions and favors granted by foreign nationals with connections to Turkey’s government.
Adams has pleaded not guilty to five charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national and bribery. He’s accused of accepting travel benefits and illegal campaign contributions. You can read the full Adams indictment here.
Adams has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and has said he has no plans to resign and is seeking re-election. His trial is set to begin on April 21.
Mayor Adams has condemned the charges as politically motivated retaliation for calling out the White House for failing to address the situation at the southern border, which has placed a burden on New York City’s ability to house migrants. “I always knew that if I stood my ground for all of you, that I would be a target – and a target I became,” he said.
Adams has slammed the Biden administration on several occasions as the Big Apple struggles to keep up with the constant influx of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers. In April 2023, he complained about having to handle over 52,000 migrants “without one penny from the federal government” and said the city “is being destroyed by the migrant crisis.”
In December 2023, he referred to the White House’s refusal to aid New York City with the crisis as “baffling” and indicated that despite meeting with Biden administration officials, no help was forthcoming. “I am lost. I am confused on this topic on why we still, almost 20 months later, we’re still talking about this issue and it has inundated the city,” he said during an interview.
If Trump were to pardon Adams, the president-elect could have a key ally in the effort to address the border crisis and illegal immigration on a broader scale. The mayor has already indicated a willingness to work with the incoming Trump administration to curb the flow of migrants into the country – and New York City.
Adams recently met with Tom Homan, Trump’s incoming border czar, about the immigration situation. Homan praised the mayor for putting “public safety above politics.”
Having a high-profile Democratic politician on Trump’s side could make for some interesting optics for the president-elect as he works to fulfill his promise to stop illegal immigration.
For Adams, such a move would certainly rankle some feathers among Democrats, who would be frustrated if he aligned with Trump – especially on immigration. Still, if he manages to make progress toward alleviating the burden the border crisis has caused for New Yorkers, it could still improve his chances of winning re-election. All in all, a pardon could work for both individuals.
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