New York City Mayor Eric Adams met with President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, where they discussed bringing manufacturing jobs back to the city and a potential ceasefire deal for Gaza. However, Adams made it clear that they did not talk about his ongoing federal bribery case.
After the meeting, Adams released a statement saying it was a “productive conversation” about New York’s needs and how the federal government can better help improve life for New Yorkers. He emphasized that they did not discuss his legal issues.
The meeting had drawn criticism from some of Adams’ opponents in this year’s Democratic mayoral primary. They accused him of trying to get a pardon from Trump due to his legal troubles. Adams defended the meeting, saying that as the mayor of the nation’s largest city, he had to meet with the incoming president to discuss important issues, regardless of political differences.
Adams faces federal charges after a grand jury indicted him in September. The charges claim he took luxury travel perks and illegal campaign donations from foreign nationals in exchange for helping Turkish officials resolve issues with fire safety inspectors in Manhattan. He has pleaded not guilty and will go to trial in April.
During the meeting, Adams also spoke with actor Sylvester Stallone, telling him how much he loved the “Rocky” series. When asked about Trump’s opposition to a new $9 toll for drivers entering Manhattan, Adams said he would share more on that later.
In December, Trump said he was open to giving Adams a pardon and criticized the bribery case against him.
