President Donald Trump praised New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ re-election campaign Tuesday – as he threatened Democratic socialist and mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani with arrest if he interferes with ICE.
Trump, speaking at the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center in Florida, called the increasingly MAGA-aligned Adams a “very good person.”
“I helped him out a little bit,” Trump said, alluding to the Department of Justice’s controversial move to dismiss Adams’ federal corruption case. “He had a problem, and he was unfairly hurt over this question.
8President Trump appeared to offer Mayor Adams support in his re-election bid on Tuesday.AFP via Getty Images
8The president also said he “helped” Adams out after the mayor faced federal corruption charges.Brian Zak/NY Post
“That was a Biden indictment. I said, ‘Don’t feel bad. I got indicted five times.’”
Adams faced corruption and bribery charges in what both the mayor and Trump have argued was political retribution for speaking out against former President Joe Biden’s border policies.
8Trump also said Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani would face arrest if he interfered with ICE.ZUMAPRESS.com
The federal probe leading to the historic indictment against Adams began in September 2021, according to court documents, before the mayor publicly called out Biden over the migrant crisis.
Trump, who started Tuesday by labeling Mamdani a “total nut job”, continued attacking the socialist firebrand. He said the mayoral contender risked jail if he bucked an ongoing immigration crackdown.
“We’ll have to arrest” Mamdani if that happens, Trump said.
8Brian Zak/NY Post
The president also weighed in on the mayoral race, implicitly giving Adams – a Democrat running as an independent – his support.
“You would think that a Republican would be able to win, or you have a good independent running for mayor,” Trump said.
Mamdani has made “Trump-proofing” New York City one of his campaign’s planks and vowed to stand up to the president.
8Democratic candidate for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marches on Fifth Avenue at the 2025 New York City Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, June 29, 2025 in New York City.Peter Foley/UPI/Shutterstock
“Zohran Mamdani will fight Trump’s attempts to gouge the working class, and deliver a city where everyone can afford a dignified life,” the platform states.
Mamdani officially clinched the Democratic nomination Tuesday as the final tabulation of ranked-choice votes showed him clobbering former Gov. Andrew Cuomo by 56% to 44% –and securing more primary votes than any Big Apple Dem in more than three decades.
“The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city,” he said in a statement responding to Trump’s comments.
8President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable at “Alligator Alcatraz,” a new migrant detention facility at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Ochopee, Fla.AP
“That Trump included praise for Eric Adams in his authoritarian threats is unsurprising, but highlights the urgency of bringing an end to this Mayor’s time in City Hall.”
Mamdani will face Adams, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and independent Jim Walden in the general election. Cuomo has yet to decide whether he’ll actively run as an independent, but his name will be on the ballot in November regardless.
Adams has largely become persona non grata in the Democratic Party as he cozied up to Trump in an apparent push to get his corruption case scuttled.
8NYC Mayor Eric Adams seen at Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025.X / @pastormarkburns
Inside Adams’ camp, sources said Trump’s backing was welcomed as the chances for his long-shot bid to return to Gracie Mansion hinges on him scraping together enough votes from left, right and center — a tall task that has never been accomplished in modern times.
Over the past week, Adams has repeatedly gone on the Trump-favored Fox News to campaign for his independent bid for mayor — most recently on Monday, when he slammed Mamdani for his lack of governing experience.
“Great things on paper, but when it comes down to governing a city and balancing a budget, creating the most jobs in city history, keeping people safe on the subway,” he said in the interview.
8New York City mayor Eric Adams officially announces the start of his campaign for reelection on June 26, 2025.Stephen Yang
Adams was asked point blank if he was seeking Trump’s endorsement, but dodged, saying only he would welcome the support of anyone.
