New York City Mayor Eric Adams stood up for Donald Trump on Shabbos, denouncing claims from Democratic leaders labeling Trump as a “fascist” or comparing him to Adolf Hitler.
When questioned about Trump’s critics, Adams responded, “I have had those comments hurled at me by some political leaders in the city; my answer is ‘No.’” He elaborated, “I know what Hitler has done, and I know what a fascist regime looks like. I think, as I have called for over and over again, that the level of conversation, I think we can all dial down the temperature,” referring to the current heated political climate. Adams, a moderate Democrat who is currently facing federal investigations, urged for more measured dialogue.
The mayor’s remarks came during a news briefing in Manhattan, where he discussed plans for an increased police presence during Trump’s scheduled Sunday rally at Madison Square Garden. The political tension had escalated recently as Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden criticized Trump following claims that he had expressed admiration for Hitler while serving as president.
This controversial assertion, initially reported by The Atlantic, was later corroborated by retired Marine Corps General John Kelly, who previously served as Trump’s chief of staff.
“I invite you to listen and go online to listen to John Kelly…who has told us Donald Trump said, why — essentially, ‘Why aren’t my generals like those of Hitler’s, like Hitler,’” Harris stated to an audience on Wednesday during a CNN town hall. “This is a serious, serious issue. And we know who he is. He admires dictators,” she emphasized.
During the town hall in the pivotal state of Pennsylvania, Harris, when asked outright if she believed Trump was a “fascist,” responded simply, “yes.” Her campaign further underscored Kelly’s claims, issuing more than a dozen press releases detailing alleged private comments from Trump, including one where he reportedly said “Hitler did some good things” by having “rebuilt the [Germany] economy.” Trump has consistently refuted these allegations, accusing The Atlantic of being “a failing magazine.”
Additionally, Harris’s team has been connecting the Madison Square Garden event with a notorious Nazi rally held there in 1939. “Trump [is] actually re-enacting the Madison Square Garden rally in 1939,” remarked former 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on CNN’s “The Source” Thursday night.
Adams, however, took a strong stance against calls to cancel Trump’s event. “This is America. This is New York, and I think it’s important that we allow individuals to exercise their right to get their message clear to New Yorkers,” he stated. “And our job as a city and as a Police Department is to make sure they can do that in a peaceful, in a peaceful way,” he added.
New York City police officials announced plans to create designated zones for protestors around Madison Square Garden, with a clear warning that they would not tolerate any illegal behavior. “You will see a…heavy uniform presence around The Garden,” explained Chief of Patrol John Chell. “We’ll see heavy weapons teams, counter terrorism, aviation, …, blocker vehicles. We are the best at what we do. We prepare for protests every day. We will have a very safe day tomorrow for all New Yorkers.”
{Matzav.com}