NYC Mayor Eric Adams dismisses criticism for attending President Trump's inauguration
NEW YORK -- Mayor Eric Adams is defending his decision to attend President Trump's inauguration, even though he had to cancel appearances at several Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day events.
The mayor received a lot of criticism from public officials for ditching the MLK events to go to Washington D.C. on Monday. He not only defended the move on Tuesday, he took the unusual step of letting reporters see texts he got from community supporters saying he did the right thing.
"We had a new president and I've said it before, I'm not going to be warring with the president, I'm going to be working with the president and that's my responsibility as the mayor," Adams said.
Texts from "his base" applauded his decision, mayor says
Ever since Mr. Trump won the election, the mayor has been insistent it is in the best interests of New York City to forge a working relationship with him. So when he got a last-minute invite to the inauguration -- he was told the president wanted him there -- he went.
Adams said he is unmoved by critics like the Rev. Al Sharpton, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
"Some that should be here here celebrating Dr. King with us in this room have chosen to go to Washington to celebrate 'Felon 47,'" Adrienne Adams said.
"Every time I think I can't be more stunningly disappointed with this mayor, he says yes you can," Williams said.
The mayor said he had received texts from what he called "his base," like one that said, "I am so glad that the spirit led you to go to the inauguration. You are doing the right thing on behalf of the city of New York. God will continue to bless you and hold you up."
Another text said, "Just want to say that you're doing the right thing. My faith in you has not wavered."
A better relationship with Mr. Trump is key, mayor says
The mayor also argued that it was important to have a better relationship with Mr. Trump than he had with former President Biden, who refused to help him with the migrant crisis that sent some 200,000 people to New York City.
"I must lead this city, navigate this city forward and that's what I'm going to do. We took almost $7 billion, $7 billion out of our city under the previous administration," Eric Adams said.
The mayor has complained that the Biden administration punished him for being vocal about the migrant crisis. He apparently believes his corruption indictment was related to his criticism of the former president.