New York City Mayor Eric Adams defended his controversial comparison of demands for his resignation to Adolf Hitler’s manifesto, stating that his words had been misinterpreted.
The mayor, who has faced growing pressure over various issues, made the reference to “Mein Kampf” during a public appearance in Brooklyn on Monday as he addressed the mounting calls for him to step down. “If you tell a lie long enough, loud enough, people will tend to believe it’s true,” he remarked. “And that’s what you see right now, a modern-day ‘Mein Kampf.'”
Adams took the opportunity to criticize Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who has openly stated that Adams should resign and suggested he would step into the role if the mayor left office.
During an interview on New York’s News 12 on Wednesday, Adams was asked if he regretted his remarks. “Which one?” he responded. “The comments towards the public advocate starting his day at 12 o’clock and trying to have me step down so he can become mayor without running a race? Or Brad Lander saying I did something that was wrong to the Jewish community that they don’t agree with?”
Brad Lander, the Jewish city comptroller, denounced Adams’ comments, calling them “a shande,” a Yiddish term meaning disgrace. Lander is among the candidates challenging Adams in the upcoming Democratic mayoral primary. Another Jewish contender, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, called the remarks “nonsensical, unacceptable, and offensive.”
The remarks also sparked backlash from other political figures. State Senator Jessica Ramos tweeted that Adams was “either ignorant about antisemitism, completely delusional, or just doesn’t know how nouns work.” State Senator Zellnor Myrie accused the mayor of making “blatant antisemitism” comments.
Adams was also criticized by The Nexus Project, an organization focused on combating antisemitism, which labeled his comment as “out of line.”
When questioned on News 12 about his comparison to “Mein Kampf,” Adams was also asked whether he had any concerns about President Donald Trump’s recent “Long live the king” remark. Adams dismissed the inquiry, stating that it was a question for Trump to answer. “I think that’s the question to ask the president what he meant by it,” Adams said. “The other day, I did a comparison of how ‘Mein Kampf’ is the big lie, and all of a sudden people were saying I’m trying to compare myself to those who are Holocaust survivors. Listen, I am not in the business of being the word police and try to move to cancel people every time they talk.”
As calls for his resignation continue to grow, particularly following reports about a potential corruption deal with the Trump administration, Adams remains firm in his position that he will not step down. He is facing increasing pressure, with several of his deputies having resigned, and Governor Kathy Hochul is reportedly considering whether to take action to remove him from office.
{Matzav.com}