NEW YORK — New York Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who has had a soft touch with newly elected President Donald Trump, left open the possibility of switching to the Republican Party in a pair of interviews Friday morning.
Adams was a member of the GOP from 1995 through 2002 and during an appearance on NY1 he was asked if he would return to the party. He did not rule out the possibility.
“I am part of the American party,” he responded. “I love this country.”
Asked to clarify his comments in a subsequent interview on PIX11, the mayor of the big city again left open the question about his future political beliefs.
“It doesn’t matter what party I belong to or what I vote for, I’m going to insist on American values,” he said, arguing that officials must move beyond parties and work together to solve voters’ problems. to solve.
Adams’ comments follow a presidential race in which the mayor — unlike most of his fellow Democrats — took pains to avoid criticizing Trump. And since Trump’s ascension to the White House, Adams has spoken highly of Elon Musk, a Trump confidant tasked with making government more efficient.
The mayor will sit down next week with Tom Homan, the new border czar, to discuss plans to deport undocumented immigrants. Adams has said he would support any federal plan that targets undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes.
The mayor’s openness to Trump has outraged local Democrats because of the power the new president will have over the five criminal cases Adams faces in federal court.
Trump has already found a candidate to replace the US attorney prosecuting Adams. And as POLITICO has reported, Trump could assist Adams in the case, including by pardoning him.
They have all filed criminal charges against themselves as a result of a politicized Justice Department — an idea that President Joe Biden has reinforced by criticizing the justice system in pardoning his son Hunter Biden. And Trump has expressed empathy for Adams’ predicament.
When asked Friday whether he will run for re-election as a Democrat next year, Adams gave a perfunctory answer.
“That’s what I propose to do,” he said. “I have been a Democrat for many years and I will be running for re-election as a Democrat.”
And he had a final message for all the naysayers.
“Those who don’t like it will cancel me,” he said. “I say: cancel me. I am for America.”
