Mayor Eric Adams discusses immigration, RFK Jr., Trump 2nd term on ‘The View’

(NEW YORK) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams visited “The View” Friday to give his thoughts on President-elect Donald Trump’s presidency and what it will mean for the city.

Adams said both sides of the political aisle needed to turn down the rhetoric and name-calling that has perpetuated the discourse for years. The mayor implied that the toxic rhetoric was a reason behind Trump’s victory, especially in the city where the former president gained ground among the electorate.

“What you saw in this city and a city becoming redder is because we stopped talking about broken class issues,” Adams said.

“They’re not talking about fascism, they’re talking about finance. They’re not talking about Hitler, they’re talking about housing,” the mayor added, referencing the statements from Trump opponents that he was a fascist.

“The View” co-host Ana Navarro noted that Vice President-elect JD Vance once called Trump Hitler. Adams reiterated that everyone must tone down their rhetoric.

Adams was also asked about his opinions on Trump’s controversial cabinet appointees, specifically Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been tapped to run the Department of Health and Human Services.

RFK Jr., who tried to run for president this year as a Democrat and Independent candidate before endorsing Trump, has pushed false claims about vaccine dangers and fluoride and promised to make massive cuts to health services if he is appointed by the Senate.

Adams pushed back against the fluoride claims but noted that the country needed to look at what is being put into food, which was another stance that RFK Jr. had taken in the past.

When pushed by “The View” hosts to respond to RFK Jr.’s proposals, Adams said he was confident that the people in place in the health agencies would do the right thing for the country.

“If we love our country, then no one individual should take us away from our mission,” he said.

“There are experts at this, they will look at his proposals and give analysis,” Adams added.

Adams said the city is prepared for various scenarios that Trump may inflict on them when it comes to his mass deportation proposal. The mayor said that New York has always welcomed immigrants and law-abiding immigrants and families will be protected, but stressed that the nation’s immigration system is broken.

He said the migrant crisis cost the city billions of dollars, and no one has provided it with the means or resources to deal with the over 200,000 migrants who were shipped to the city from other states.

“I’m not allowed to let them work (legally),” he said. “I’m not allowed to get them to participate in our tax system.”

In September, Adams became the first sitting New York City mayor to be indicted after federal prosecutors charged him with one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy, two counts of solicitation of a contribution from a foreign national and one count of bribery.

The indictment stems from alleged gifts, including upgraded airline flights and luxury hotel stays, given by Turkish businessmen and officials in exchange for preferential treatment by the mayor.

Adams has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty. Federal investigators have probed several of his close confidants and officials over the last year, and many have resigned in the face of the ongoing investigations.

The trial against Adams is slated to begin in April.

Trump has come to Adams’ defense, claiming that the mayor was unjustly charged because of his opposition to President Joe Biden’s migrant policies.

Adams dodged a question about a possible Trump pardon or dismissal of his charges and maintained that he would continue to work for New Yorkers as he fights the charges.

“My job is to do what I have been doing since Jan. 1, 2022,” he said.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.