‘Got here in to thank me’: Eric Adams meets Donald Trump at White Home after DOJ drops corruption case
Mayor Eric Adams met US President Donald Trump on the White Home on Friday in a gathering that Adams framed as a coverage dialogue however one which left behind extra political questions than solutions.Adams’ workplace stated the go to aimed to push for federal assist on infrastructure and social companies. The mayor highlighted initiatives corresponding to a wind farm off Lengthy Island and plans for semiconductor manufacturing, saying in a video shared on-line, “We should have a dialogue with the White Home.”Nevertheless, Trump downplayed the assembly, telling reporters, “Nearly nothing. He got here in to say howdy. He was very good… I believe he really got here in to thank me.”As reported by The New York Instances, the timing of the go to was delicate. It got here the identical day almost 2,000 pages of paperwork have been unsealed associated to Adams’ deserted federal corruption case. The recordsdata revealed that FBI brokers and prosecutors have been nonetheless seizing telephones and pursuing search warrants in early February, simply days earlier than senior justice division officers intervened to close the case down.Federal prosecutors had been investigating Adams since 2021 over marketing campaign donations and free journey allegedly offered in alternate for political favours. Although Adams was charged final yr, the case was dropped in February by Trump’s justice division, citing issues it hindered Adams’ skill to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.The transfer triggered resignations from a minimum of eight federal prosecutors, together with appearing US lawyer in Manhattan Danielle Sassoon. US district decide Dale E Ho later dismissed the fees however criticised what gave the impression to be a quid professional quo, “dismissal of the indictment in alternate for immigration coverage concessions.”Because the case ended, Adams has not solely averted criticising Trump however has aligned himself with the administration. As per ABC New York, he beforehand agreed to re-open Rikers Island to ICE brokers and met with immigration chief Tom Homan. In February, he defended his strategy, “I am unable to get right into a yelling match simply because it feels good. I’ve to supply for this metropolis.”Nonetheless, critics say the mayor’s closeness to Trump is troubling. “Adams already gave up his independence as mayor to save lots of himself from legal prosecution,” stated state senator Zellnor Myrie, who’s operating towards him. Comptroller Brad Lander referred to as the mayor’s posture “probably the most humiliating capitulation possible.”
