President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that he would consider granting a pardon to New York City Mayor Eric Adams if he is convicted on charges of accepting bribes and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations.
"I think that he was treated pretty unfairly," Trump told reporters from his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. He also noted that he has not yet reviewed "the gravity of it all," indicating he hasn't closely examined the evidence against Adams.
However, he downplayed the allegations, comparing them to minor infractions, such as accepting an upgrade on an international flight.
Adams, 64, was charged in September with accepting gifts, including luxury travel, from wealthy foreign businesspeople over nearly a decade. He also faces conspiracy charges tied to potentially illegal campaign contributions during his 2021 mayoral campaign.
Adams "essentially went against what was happening with the migrants coming in" and "made some pretty strong statements," Trump said.
"I said, 'You know what? He'll be indicted soon,'" Trump recounted, adding that he had made the comment "light heartedly."
"And a few months later, he got indicted," Trump said. "So yeah, I would certainly look at" a pardon.
Adams, meanwhile, has openly courted Trump, a move widely seen as a blatant attempt to secure a pardon.
"President Biden and President-elect Trump now agree on one thing," Adams said after Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter. "The Biden Justice Department has been politicized. Does that sound familiar? I rest my case."
It remains uncertain whether the president-elect will ultimately grant a pardon if Adams is convicted. Regardless, Adams now joins the lengthy list of MAGA loyalists and accused insurrectionists whom Trump has vowed to pardon after his January inauguration.
