New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams, who had deliberate to attend Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebrations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, made a last-minute change to his schedule to journey to Washington for Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Adams’ official schedule had him delivering remarks on the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s tribute to Dr. King adopted by the Baptist Ministers’ Convention of Larger New York & Neighborhood celebration. At 8:36 a.m., lower than an hour earlier than the primary occasion, a change got here out to the mayor’s schedule.
“On Monday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams will travel to Washington D.C. to attend the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump. After attending the inauguration, the mayor will travel back to New York City,” the up to date schedule stated.
A spokesperson for the mayor stated the invitation got here Monday morning.
“In the early hours of Monday morning, the Trump administration reached out inviting Mayor Adams to attend the inauguration at the incoming administration’s request. Mayor Adams accepted on behalf of New York City,” Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy stated on social media.
“As the mayor has repeatedly said, America has chosen a new national leader and we must work together to build a safer, stronger, and more affordable in New York City. An updated schedule will be sent out momentarily,” Levy went on say.
It is unclear which particular inaugural occasions Adams will attend whereas in Washington.
On Friday, Adams met with the president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Seaside, Florida however stated his federal bribery case was not mentioned.
The mayor on Saturday disregarded questions that his prison case — or the potential for a presidential pardon if he’s convicted — got here up throughout the Friday sit-down close to Trump’s Florida property, saying the case is one thing his authorized workforce is dealing with.
“I made this clear a few days earlier that I was seeking to sit down and talk to the president about the issues concerning the city infrastructure, the migrant asylum-seeker issues, the settlement of the crisis in the Middle East,” he stated.
“I’m the mayor of the biggest city in America,” Adams added, following remarks about the city’s preparations for a weekend snowstorm. “I’m supposed to speak with the president, like I spoke with President Biden.”
Adams issued a assertion Friday night time through which he acknowledged the 2 “did not discuss my legal case” however as an alternative targeted on subjects comparable to bringing manufacturing jobs again to town and the Gaza ceasefire deal.
Trump has criticized the case towards Adams and stated he’s open to giving the mayor, who had been a registered Republican within the Nineties, a pardon.
Adams is scheduled to go on trial in April on costs that he accepted luxurious journey perks and unlawful marketing campaign contributions from overseas nationals in alternate for political favors, together with serving to the Turkish officers resolve metropolis approvals for a diplomatic constructing in Manhattan.
Adams pressured Saturday that he doesn’t intend to be “warring” with the Trump administration on immigration and different important points.
“Donald Trump received the popular vote. Donald Trump received the electoral vote,” he stated. “America has communicated in a really loud and clear voice that we have to do one thing about our borders. America has communicated about how we have to construct our financial system and ensure jobs keep right here. They’ve communicated round affordability.”
He additionally declined to say what position if any police and different metropolis companies would have because the Trump administration is anticipated to start large-scale deportations, together with immigration enforcement raids concentrating on the Chicago space as quickly as Tuesday.
“I’m not gonna keep doing the same questions over and over again about the cooperation of city agencies,” Adams stated. “The law is the law. Next question.”
The Brooklyn Democrat and former police captain additionally took jabs his personal get together and the outgoing Biden administration, which he has criticized over its response to the migrant surge in recent times.
“The party that’s in office took $6.9 billion out of our city” he stated, referring to the sum of money his administration says it has spent to take care of the roughly 250,000 asylum seekers who’ve arrived within the metropolis for the reason that spring of 2022. “That went away from our children, our families, our streets, our security.”
Adams stated his face-to-face with Trump was about “making certain that this metropolis will get what it deserves,” an attraction he believes shall be heard given the incoming president’s New York Metropolis roots.
“I’m looking forward to the next four years of having a president that loves the city like I love this city,” he stated. “We’re gonna do what’s needed to move the city forward for everyday New Yorkers.”
