New York City Mayor Eric Adams stirred controversy with a bizarre response to a question asking him to sum up 2023 in "one word." The one word he chose was actually two words: "New York." And in explaining what makes New York "the greatest" he bizarrely chose to cite the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers.
In a peculiar response to the query during an interview with WPIX-TV host Dan Mannarino, Adams tried to encapsulate what makes living in New York so unpredictable.
That's when things got awkward:
“This is a place where every day you wake up you could experience everything from a plane crashing into our trade center through a person who’s celebrating a new business that’s about to open."
“This is a very, very complicated city, and that’s why it’s the greatest city on the globe.”
You can hear what Adams said in the video below.
Despite the eyebrow-raising comment, Adams was not immediately challenged on his statement by Mannarino.
But people online were only happy to oblige in dragging Adams for the comments.
Amidst mounting challenges, including a federal investigation into his 2021 mayoral campaign and an accusation of sexual assault dating back three decades, Adams's approval rating has plummeted. According to a Quinnipiac University poll, only 28 percent of respondents approved of his performance.
As the city grapples with budget cuts and a migrant crisis, these controversies and challenges continue to cast a shadow over Adams's tenure, raising concerns about his leadership and public perception.
Last month, FBI agents seized three phones and two laptops from the chief fundraiser for Adams's mayoral campaigns; Adams's own phone and iPad were seized days later.
The New York Timesreported that Adams's investigation by the FBI was related in part to an alleged influence by the Turkish government to have its consulate in a Manhattan building approved by New York City authorities despite safety issues.
The investigation is ongoing.