By: Jordan Baker

Mayor Eric Adams is facing fierce criticism after welcoming controversial internet personality Sneako – known for making antisemitic remarks – to Gracie Mansion for a relaxed cigar-smoking session alongside model and influencer Amber Rose.

Sneako, whose real name is Nicolas “Nico” Kenn De Balinthazy, 26, has previously declared “Down with the Jews” during a livestream and has been banned from Twitch due to what the platform described as “extreme hateful conduct.” Despite this, he was treated to a casual conversation with Adams at the mayor’s official residence on the Upper East Side.

Photos shared on social media showed Adams chatting with Sneako and Rose, smoking cigars and smiling as cameras rolled. The images sparked immediate backlash from both political leaders and Jewish advocacy groups, who questioned the judgment behind giving a platform to someone with a documented history of hate speech.

Representative Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from the Bronx, was among the first to voice outrage. “The Mayor is smoking cigars at Gracie Mansion with Sneako – yet another antisemite who once declared: ‘Down with the Jews,’” Torres wrote on X. “Who’s next on the guest list – David Duke?”

Sneako later boasted about the encounter in a video, claiming that after his meeting with the mayor, he attended a dinner with Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Tobey Maguire. His remarks only intensified concern that the influencer is being given access to mainstream political and cultural spaces, despite his inflammatory record, the NY Post reported.

In addition to his antisemitic statements, Sneako has praised controversial figures such as Andrew and Tristan Tate – both of whom face serious charges in Europe related to sex trafficking and assault. He has also voiced support for rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) and white nationalist Nick Fuentes, both known for their antisemitic views and public outbursts, the NY Post reported.

In a livestream, Sneako once said, “Every ‘conspiracy theory’ from the last century is just Israel,” and more recently posted, “Israel is not compatible with Western civilization” – just hours before his sit-down with Adams. He has previously described the swastika as “aesthetically pleasing” and said, “the Nazis had drip,” drawing additional condemnation.

Despite mounting criticism, a spokesperson for Adams defended the mayor’s meeting with Sneako. “Mayor Adams has always stood strongly with the Jewish community and will continue to do so without compromise. He has a long and proud record of fighting antisemitism, supporting Jewish causes, and building lasting relationships with Jewish leaders across the city and state,” the mayor’s office said.

The spokesperson added that Adams often speaks to a broad range of creators and doesn’t necessarily agree with their views. “His values remain unwavering. Antisemitism has no place in New York City, and no one can question Mayor Adams’ deep and ongoing commitment to combating hate in all its forms,” the NY Post reported.

The controversy comes just days after Mayor Adams signed an executive order adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism – a move intended to reinforce the city’s stance against hate. That decision, however, has also stirred debate, with some anti-Israel groups claiming the definition is overly broad and may be used to suppress criticism of Israeli policy.

As the outrage continues, many New Yorkers are demanding further clarification from City Hall about the rationale behind hosting an individual like Sneako.