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Edited by: Fern Sidman
On Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams came to the defense of former President Donald Trump amid allegations from a former White House aide branding Trump as a “fascist” with favorable views on Adolf Hitler. Speaking at a press conference focused on security measures for Trump’s upcoming rally at Madison Square Garden, Adams dismissed these claims, drawing from personal experience. The New York Daily News reported that Adams remarked, “I have had those terms hurled at me,” adding, “I know what Hitler has done and I know what a fascist regime looks like. Trump has nothing to do with either.”
The remarks come in the wake of former Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly’s recent revelations, in which he alleged that Trump once told him “Hitler did some good things” and admired the loyalty displayed by Nazi generals. However, Adams advised against further escalating tensions, encouraging New Yorkers to “take down the temperature” rather than inciting conflict over political disagreements. At the press conference, he urged citizens to instead “participate in the democratic process by voting,” according to The New York Daily News.
During his speech, Trump took a moment to acknowledge Adams, whom he thanked for making the Madison Square Garden rally possible. Trump noted, “We want to thank Mayor Adams,” and added, “He is going through a hard time with these people.” Trump expressed sympathy for Adams, referencing the mayor’s criticism of New York’s ongoing migrant crisis. He also hinted at the political pressures Adams faces, stating, “Mayor Adams is being treated badly,” and adding, “I predicted he’d be indicted for saying that, and now they’ve indicted him.”
With Trump’s Sunday rally drawing a considerable crowd, tensions remained high in New York City, especially given that the former president has faced two attempted assassination plots over the past year. Adams assured the public of rigorous safety protocols, emphasizing the NYPD’s preparations. “No police department is better prepared, equipped, and trained to handle these events than the NYPD,” noted Interim Police Commissioner Thomas Donlon, who disclosed that planning has been ongoing since September.
The New York Daily News report detailed the extensive security measures planned for the rally, with the NYPD deploying drone teams, counterterrorism units, heavy weapons teams, and a bolstered presence across the city’s transit network. These efforts, coordinated with federal officials in a joint operations center, reflect the department’s commitment to a safe event, stated Chief John Chell. While protests are anticipated, Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner confirmed that “we are not tracking any specific credible threats to the event.” She added that the NYPD respects free speech rights, but there will be “zero tolerance for disruption, destruction, or criminality.”
The NYPD has substantial experience managing public protests, having handled roughly 4,300 such events in the last year alone, according to The New York Daily News. Roads surrounding Madison Square Garden will close as early as 2 a.m. Sunday in preparation for the rally, which is expected to accommodate 19,000 attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. The rally itself will run from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The NYPD’s approach, as described by Weiner, takes into account not only potential concerns specific to Trump’s rally but also the “everything we’re seeing unfold across the country and around the world,” she noted. This comprehensive security plan call attention to New York’s commitment to maintaining order and public safety, even amid polarizing political events.
