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Dear New Yorkers,

What does Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office mean for the federal corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams?

That depends. Trump’s victory could be a major stroke of luck for Adams if the former president follows up on his claim that “lunatic” prosecutors have “persecuted” the mayor.

Trump will likely move to replace Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams right away with a prosecutor more willing to see things his way. But whomever Trump picks must still be confirmed by the Senate, a process that could take months — and Adams has a trial date on April 21, 2025.

Or, if Adams is successfully convicted by U.S. attorneys from the Southern District of New York, Trump could simply pardon him.

Trump was infamous for issuing pardons during his last term. And he has signaled support for Adams, even going so far as to claim that he’d predicted the mayor would be indicted after Adams questioned President Biden’s handling of the migrant crisis.

At a recent dinner that both attended, Trump sympathized with the beleaguered mayor, stating, “I know what it’s like to be persecuted by the DOJ for speaking out against open borders,” adding, “We were persecuted, Eric. I was persecuted, and so are you, Eric.”

Read more here about what Trump’s reelection could mean for the federal corruption case against New York City’s mayor.