NYC Mayor Eric Adams attends Donald Trump's inauguration

Eric Adams made a last-minute trip after 3 a.m. Monday to Washington, D.C., to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration, because an undisclosed person on the president-elect's team extended a sudden invitation around midnight, the New York City mayor's office said.

Adams had been scheduled to deliver remarks in New York for Martin Luther King Jr. Day — at a breakfast tribute in Brooklyn and a Baptist minister's conference in Manhattan. But instead Adams sat in an overflow room in the U.S. Capitol to watch Trump's swearing-in, and earlier posed for photos with a crypto billionaire and online influencers Jake and Logan Paul.

Adams, a Democrat, has been praising Trump, a Republican, since soon after Adams was indicted in September on charges that he traded luxury travel and political donations from foreign sources in exchange for municipal favors. Adams has pleaded not guilty. The two men met last week in Florida.

Late last year, Trump said he'd consider pardoning Adams, suggesting that the indictment was retribution for criticizing the Biden administration over the migrant crisis.

For weeks, Adams had been evasive when asked whether he'd go to the inauguration, insisting he wasn't sure and that it was up to his scheduler to decide.

But just before 8:30 a.m. Monday, the decision was announced as an update to Adams' public schedule. All of Adams’ appearances for King Day were canceled on the updated schedule and Adams was headed to Washington, with a plan to return to New York afterward, the schedule stated.

Adams got the invitation from the incoming Trump administration after midnight and began the drive soon thereafter, said Adams spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak.

“In the early hours of Monday morning, the Trump administration reached out inviting Mayor Adams to attend the inauguration at the incoming administration’s request," she said in a text message. "Mayor Adams accepted on behalf of New York City. As the mayor has repeatedly said, America has chosen a new national leader and we must work together to build a safer, stronger, and more affordable … New York City."

Adams didn't start the drive until after 3 a.m., according to his communications deputy, Fabien Levy, who said that the mayor did not go with any staff except his NYPD security detail, who drove. Levy said he didn't have details of Adams' day.

Adams’ praise for Trump is in contrast with past years, when Adams routinely criticized him.

In 2021, Adams said: "As always, Trump gets it wrong."

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.