As Democrats come to grips with Donald Trump’s return to the White House, Mayor Eric Adams faces a legal and political bind: He could benefit from the incoming president’s sympathy as he fights federal corruption charges, but risks suffering politically by cozying up to his party’s most powerful adversary.
Adams’ delicate dance with Trump was on display at press conference at City Hall on Wednesday, where the mayor pledged to work with the new administration while protecting the interests of New Yorkers, including women, immigrants and LGBTQ+ people.
“We will work with the new administration and Congress to develop a realistic and compassionate national strategy for our immigration system,” Adams said.
As the tense press conference wrapped up, Adams ignored questions about whether Trump’s election could benefit his battle against federal corruption charges.
In the leadup to the election, Trump expressed sympathy for Adams’ legal troubles, saying the mayor is facing retaliation from the Justice Department for criticizing President Joe Biden’s handling of the migrant crisis. Adams, in turn, refused to condemn Trump in the days leading up to the election and dodged questions on whether his reticence was hurting Vice President Kamala Harris.
The tension will only escalate as Trump takes office after a dark campaign that centered on deportation of undocumented immigrants. Adams rebuffed questions about how the city will respond if Trump follows through on his pledge. As a sanctuary city, New York City limits its cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The mayor has said he supports the city’s sanctuary policies, but he has questioned rules that restrict when city officials may assist federal immigration agents.
“Do you protect New York as a sanctuary city or do you consider your own liberty in that equation?” said Basil Smikle, a former Democratic strategist who now teaches at Columbia University. “What’s going to win out?”
Although…
Read the full article here
