Only Adams and Trump Know What They Discussed
The mayor of New York City and the president-elect shared a ringside conversation at a UFC event, following the development of a friendly relationship in recent weeks.
TroibNews 
NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams revealed that President-elect Donald Trump complimented him during a brief ringside conversation at a mixed martial arts fight on Saturday night, showcasing the big city Democrat’s conciliatory approach towards the Republican president-elect.
“We exchanged pleasantries and I didn't hear — it was a lot of noise. So I didn’t hear exactly what he was saying,” Adams commented during a broad press conference on Tuesday when asked about the interaction.
The two converse for approximately 20 seconds at the Ultimate Fighting Championship event held at Madison Square Garden, an exchange documented on video by Trump ally and sportscaster Sage Steele.
“But it was something to the tune of, you know, you are one of the greatest mayors the city has ever had. The city has turned around under your leadership,” Adams elaborated, jokingly noting that the “lip reader” reviewing the video missed their discussion on his accomplishments as mayor, which included “how I brought back the economy, brought back jobs, the bond rating.”
Historically, Trump has not been very complimentary about New York, previously labeling it “a city in decline" in May.
Video footage depicts Adams approaching Trump’s ringside seat to engage in conversation, though their dialogue is inaudible in the clip. UFC CEO Dana White was also present, along with members of Trump’s entourage such as Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
A spokesperson for the mayor had earlier informed PMG that they discussed how events like the match positively impacted the city’s tourism economy.
Adams mentioned that he personally paid for his ticket to the fight, which he attended alongside his son Jordan Coleman and volunteer campaign fundraiser Alisa Roever.
The often self-promoting Adams seemed to be lighthearted about Trump's compliments but there appears to be some truth in it. At a rally last October at Madison Square Garden, Trump vowed to restore New York to being “safe and strong and beautiful and affordable and vibrant again” and to “work with the mayor” and the governor to achieve that.
According to Trump, people “just don’t speak well” of New York currently; he attributed this negative perception to the “horrible, horrible” former Mayor Bill de Blasio and criticized the federal government for allowing migrants into the city, not placing blame on Adams.
Just a day earlier, Adams had distanced himself from Democrats who had pointed out that his former chief of staff labeled him a fascist.
While Adams and Trump share several mutual connections, their personal relationship only began to develop recently, notably during an October charity dinner when Trump expressed solidarity with Adams, who claimed—without evidence—that the Biden administration was targeting him for prosecution.
Following that, Trump praised the “very nice” Adams at Madison Square Garden. Adams has notably refrained from criticizing Trump, leading to speculation that he might be hoping for Trump to dismiss his federal charges or grant him a pardon.
Adams again dismissed that notion on Tuesday, mentioning that Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and the hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” also reached out to Trump after his victory.
“Did you say, are you doing it because you want something?” he posed to reporters. “How about we're doing it because we love New York? This is the president. And it's time for us to stop yelling at each other and working with each other.”
Adams had previously been enthusiastic about garnering praise from another president, before that relationship soured.
“I’m the Biden of Brooklyn,” Adams stated ahead of a presidential visit in 2022. “I’m sure if you were to ask him what is his favorite mayor, he would clearly tell you, ‘It’s Eric.’”
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
“We exchanged pleasantries and I didn't hear — it was a lot of noise. So I didn’t hear exactly what he was saying,” Adams commented during a broad press conference on Tuesday when asked about the interaction.
The two converse for approximately 20 seconds at the Ultimate Fighting Championship event held at Madison Square Garden, an exchange documented on video by Trump ally and sportscaster Sage Steele.
“But it was something to the tune of, you know, you are one of the greatest mayors the city has ever had. The city has turned around under your leadership,” Adams elaborated, jokingly noting that the “lip reader” reviewing the video missed their discussion on his accomplishments as mayor, which included “how I brought back the economy, brought back jobs, the bond rating.”
Historically, Trump has not been very complimentary about New York, previously labeling it “a city in decline" in May.
Video footage depicts Adams approaching Trump’s ringside seat to engage in conversation, though their dialogue is inaudible in the clip. UFC CEO Dana White was also present, along with members of Trump’s entourage such as Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
A spokesperson for the mayor had earlier informed PMG that they discussed how events like the match positively impacted the city’s tourism economy.
Adams mentioned that he personally paid for his ticket to the fight, which he attended alongside his son Jordan Coleman and volunteer campaign fundraiser Alisa Roever.
The often self-promoting Adams seemed to be lighthearted about Trump's compliments but there appears to be some truth in it. At a rally last October at Madison Square Garden, Trump vowed to restore New York to being “safe and strong and beautiful and affordable and vibrant again” and to “work with the mayor” and the governor to achieve that.
According to Trump, people “just don’t speak well” of New York currently; he attributed this negative perception to the “horrible, horrible” former Mayor Bill de Blasio and criticized the federal government for allowing migrants into the city, not placing blame on Adams.
Just a day earlier, Adams had distanced himself from Democrats who had pointed out that his former chief of staff labeled him a fascist.
While Adams and Trump share several mutual connections, their personal relationship only began to develop recently, notably during an October charity dinner when Trump expressed solidarity with Adams, who claimed—without evidence—that the Biden administration was targeting him for prosecution.
Following that, Trump praised the “very nice” Adams at Madison Square Garden. Adams has notably refrained from criticizing Trump, leading to speculation that he might be hoping for Trump to dismiss his federal charges or grant him a pardon.
Adams again dismissed that notion on Tuesday, mentioning that Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and the hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” also reached out to Trump after his victory.
“Did you say, are you doing it because you want something?” he posed to reporters. “How about we're doing it because we love New York? This is the president. And it's time for us to stop yelling at each other and working with each other.”
Adams had previously been enthusiastic about garnering praise from another president, before that relationship soured.
“I’m the Biden of Brooklyn,” Adams stated ahead of a presidential visit in 2022. “I’m sure if you were to ask him what is his favorite mayor, he would clearly tell you, ‘It’s Eric.’”
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
