Trump said Adams was targeted when he began taking a tougher stance on illegal immigration
Mayor Eric Adams pressed on whether he's cozying up to Trump to get charges dropped
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was asked if he was "embracing" the President-elect Trump in order to get a pardon for his federal criminal charges.
President-elect Trump on Monday said he would consider pardoning New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is the subject of a federal investigation into corruption and bribery charges.
"Yeah, I would," Trump said during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago. "I think that he was treated pretty unfairly."
A federal indictment accuses Adams of soliciting illegal campaign donations from foreign entities and falsifying paper trails to cover them up. He allegedly defrauded taxpayers for $10 million over the past decade and frequently took free or steeply discounted vacations bankrolled by his foreign benefactors.
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On Monday, president-elect Trump said he would consider a pardon for New York City Mayor Eric Adams. (Getty Images)
"I don’t know the facts," Trump added. "I would certainly look at it."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Adams' office.
During his remarks, Trump downplayed allegations that Adams took free luxury travel and airline upgrades from Turkish officials.
"Being upgraded in an airplane many years ago ?" Trump said. "I doubt if there’s anyone here who hasn’t been upgraded."
"It seems, you know, like being upgraded in an airplane many years ago — I know probably everybody here has been upgraded," he added. "They see you’re all stars, they say, ‘I want to upgrade that person from NBC,’ and that would mean you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison," he said.
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Trump said Adams was targeted because of his strong stance on illegal immigration and the impact it's had on New York City.
"I said, ‘He’s going to be indicted,'" Trump said. "And a few months later, he got indicted."
Last week, Adams met with Trump's choice for border czar, Tom Homan, to discuss the migrant crisis. After the meeting, Adams said the discussion was very productive.
"From what I heard from the incoming head of ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is that we have the same desire to go after those who are committing violent acts, repeated violent acts among innocent New Yorkers and among migration asylum seekers," Adams told reporters. "That's what I heard from him. And I was pleased to hear that, because we share the same desire."
Adams has denied any wrongdoing. In November, he rebuffed claims that he was aligning himself with Trump in order to get a pardon.
He was asked about that matter during an appearance on "The View."
Incoming border czar Tom Homan met with New York City Mayor Eric Adams in the Big Apple on Thursday where they discussed the city’s ongoing migrant crisis and ways of deporting criminal illegal migrants who have been terrorizing the city’s streets. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, left and Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images, right.)
"I think nothing is more challenging than being — not being able to defend yourself in public," he answered, avoiding the Trump part of the question.
"Listen, I said it over and over again. I did nothing wrong," he continued.
Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
