'They went after you’: Trump sympathizes with Mayor Adams’ indictment at Al Smith dinner

As the keynote speaker at an annual gathering of New York politicians and power brokers Thursday night, former President Donald Trump took less than two minutes to refer to the Democrat with whom he has formed an unusual political kinship.

“They went after you, mayor,” Trump told the crowd at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation dinner, referring to Mayor Eric Adams’ five-count federal indictment on bribery and fraud charges.

Trump then reminded the audience he had predicted Adams would be indicted after the mayor criticized the Biden administration over its border policy.

“But you're going to win,” he said, adding, “I don’t like what they do.”

The remarks drew laughter from the audience, a who’s who of New York City’s political elite, who gathered during a politically tense moment on both the local and national levels. In addition to Adams, this year’s guest list included Sen. Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and former Mayors Mike Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio. Vice President Kamala Harris sat out the event, instead sending in a recorded video as she campaigned in Wisconsin.

The white-tie dinner, which took place at the Hilton Hotel, is a time-honored tradition where political rivals poke fun at their opponents and themselves. Comedian Jim Gaffigan warmed up the crowd and included his own jokes about Adams’ legal plight. The mayor has pleaded not guilty to charges that he took illegal donations from Turkish officials in exchange for official favors.

On Thursday, Trump, who was booed when he spoke at the event in 2016, delivered a roughly 30-minute speech that included many of the insults he typically hurls at Democrats. (The crowd groaned at several jokes.)

But his comments about the mayor were hard to read as mere jokes. They struck at serious and unfounded accusations that both he and Adams have lobbed at prosecutors.

Shortly after being indicted, Adams said federal prosecutors had targeted him because of his outspoken criticism of the Biden administration’s migrant policies. To critics, his rhetoric bore similarities to that of Trump, who's been indicted in four separate criminal cases. The former president has accused prosecutors and the U.S. Justice Department of conspiring to prevent his re-election.

Trump spoke to their common grievance Thursday night.

“I know what it's like to be persecuted by the DOJ for speaking out against open borders,” he told Adams. “I was persecuted, and so are you, Eric.”

Asked about Trump’s remarks, Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy said, “It is the Al Smith dinner. People make jokes — and no one takes them seriously. It’s all done in the name of charity and to raise money for a good cause.”

Unlike other New York Democrats, Adams has often withheld criticism of Trump. When asked about Trump’s sympathetic remarks about his indictment earlier this month, the mayor didn’t hesitate to accept the support from his party’s biggest foe.

“I welcome support from every American, no matter where they are and who they are,” Adams told reporters.

Trump, a former New York developer who once reveled in being part of the city's society, did issue one zinger about the mayor, who's known for being his plant-based diet.

“I've got to say I've never met a person who's a vegan who liked Turkey so much,” he said.