ISTANBUL

New York City Mayor Eric Adams defended his recent remarks comparing calls for his resignation to Adolf Hitler’s infamous manifesto Mein Kampf and declined to weigh in on President Donald Trump’s “Long live the King” comment, said US media reports.

Adams, who pleaded not guilty to corruption even as Trump pushed to have federal prosecutors drop the charges, is facing growing scrutiny as he eyes reelection this November. According to local media, on Wednesday he was questioned about the claim by Trump – a native New Yorker – that he would “save” the metropolis, as well as his pledge to reverse the new congestion pricing traffic policy, which New York State Governor Kathy Hochul called an attack on the state's authority.

Adams dismissed the congestion pricing issue as a "state matter" and avoided directly addressing Trump’s remarks.

When pressed about whether Trump’s online remark “Long live the King” remark was concerning in a democracy, amid growing questions over Trump overreaching his authority as president, Adams pivoted to his own controversy, referencing the backlash over his Mein Kampf comparison.

“The other day, I made a comparison about Mein Kampf being the big lie, and suddenly people claimed I was comparing myself to Holocaust survivors,” Adams said, arguing that his words were misinterpreted. He insisted he was not interested in “canceling” anyone and suggested Trump should be asked directly about his comments.

Adams first made the Mein Kampf reference during a public appearance Monday while addressing calls for his resignation, saying: “If you tell a lie long enough, loud enough, people will tend to believe it’s true. And that’s what you see right now, a modern-day Mein Kampf.”

His remarks drew criticism, including from city officials, accusing him of making offensive comments about the Jewish community.