Trump says NYC Mayor Eric Adams has been treated unfairly and he'll consider pardoning him

President-elect Trump said Monday that he would consider granting a presidential pardon to New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D), who was indicted in September on criminal charges related to a federal corruption investigation.

“Yeah, I would,” Trump responded when asked if he would consider pardoning Adams. “I think that he was treated pretty unfairly.”

Adams, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud, soliciting foreign contributions, and bribery, has denied the allegations against him.

“I don’t know the facts,” Trump added. “I would certainly look at it.”

The charges against Adams include accusations of accepting discounted and upgraded international flights from Turkish Airlines. Trump downplayed the allegations, likening them to routine airline upgrades. “It seems, you know, like being upgraded in an airplane many years ago,” Trump said. “I know probably everybody here has been upgraded. 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.”

Trump has previously expressed support for Adams, describing him as “honest” in September. Adams has also voiced a willingness to collaborate with the president-elect. When asked last month about the possibility of a pardon, Adams said his legal team is handling the matter.

During his first term, Trump issued 144 pardons and has pledged clemency for some of his supporters if reelected, including individuals involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.