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(WASHINGTON) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams is scheduled to meet with President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, a spokesperson for the mayor said, marking his latest correspondence with the incoming administration as he also faces federal bribery charges.

The two will sit down ahead of Trump’s inauguration to “discuss New Yorkers’ priorities,” the mayor’s spokesperson, Fabien Levy, said in a statement on Thursday.

“Mayor Adams has made quite clear his willingness to work with President-elect Trump and his incoming administration on behalf of New Yorkers — and that partnership with the federal government is critical to New York City’s success,” Levy said. “The mayor looks forward to having a productive conversation with the incoming president on how we can move our city and country forward.”

Last month, Adams, a Democrat, met with incoming border czar Tom Homan to discuss their plans to remove what the mayor said were violent undocumented immigrants.

While discussing the closed-door meeting at a news conference last month, Adams said the city is going to “protect the rights of immigrants who are hard-working and giving back to the city in a positive way.” The mayor repeatedly said that he and Homan agreed that they do not share the same courtesy for immigrants who he says commit violent crimes.

“We will not be a safe haven for those who commit violent acts. We don’t do it for those who are citizens and we are not going to do it for undocumented citizens,” Adams said.

The mayor was indicted on federal bribery and fraud charges in September. He has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to the five-count indictment, which alleged he accepted luxury travel in exchange for political favors.

The mayor has the backing of Trump, who has claimed Adams was unjustly charged by federal prosecutors and has said he would “take a look” at a pardon for him.

“I think that he was treated pretty unfairly,” Trump said of Adams during a press briefing last month.

The president-elect suggested the charges were retribution for the mayor speaking out against migrants flooding into the country.

“It’s very interesting when he essentially went against what was happening with the migrants coming in,” Trump said. “And, you know, he made some pretty strong statements like ‘This is not sustainable.’ I said, ‘You know what? He’ll be indicted soon.’ And I said it. That is a prediction, a little bit lightheartedly, but I said it. I said, ‘He’s going to be indicted.’ And a few months later he got indicted. So I would certainly look at it.”

Last week, federal prosecutors said in a court filing that the FBI had uncovered “additional criminal conduct” by Adams. They did not elaborate but have said in prior court hearings a superseding indictment is “likely” in the mayor’s criminal case.

Alex Spiro, the mayor’s lawyer, said in response it was “amateur hour” and that the government is “just looking for a headline instead of doing the right thing. I assume we are at the point where New Yorkers are not falling for it.”

Adams, who was elected in 2021, is the first sitting New York City mayor to ever face charges. He is scheduled to stand trial in April.

ABC News’ Ivan Pereira, Aaron Katersky, Lalee Ibssa and Selina Wang contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — In his farewell address, an emotional Attorney General Merrick Garland sought to encourage an embattled Department of Justice facing uncertainty and to unabashedly defend his tenure and their work.

“I know that you have faced unfounded attacks simply for doing your jobs. At the very same time, you have risked your lives to protect our country from a range of foreign and domestic threats,” Garland said. “But the story that has been told by some outside of this building about what has happened inside of it is wrong. You have worked to pursue justice — not politics. That is the truth. And nothing can change it.”

He took head-on the criticism that has been leveled at his leadership of the DOJ from both sides of the political aisle.

“But I also know that a lot has been said about this department by people outside of it — about what your job is and what it is not and about why you do your work the way you do,” he added. “I know that, over the years, some have criticized the department, saying that it has allowed politics to influence its decision-making. That criticism often came from people with political views opposite from one another, each making the exact opposite points about the same set of facts.”

Without ever mentioning President-elect Donald Trump’s name, Garland discussed the DOJ’s historic investigation of Jan. 6, which led to the now-closed prosecution of the incoming president.

“You charged more than 1,500 people for criminal conduct that occurred during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, as well as in the days and weeks leading up to the attack. You brought to justice those who kicked, punched, beat and Tased law enforcement officers protecting the Capitol that day. And you pursued accountability for that attack on our democracy wherever it led — guided only by your commitment to follow the facts and the law,” Garland said.

“Our norms are a promise to treat like cases alike — that we will not have one rule for the powerful and another for the powerless, one rule for friends and another for foes,” he said earlier in the speech.

Speaking to the over 114,000-person career workforce that will remain into Trump’s next tenure, he urged them to retain the DOJ’s independence, no matter the challenge.

“We know that only an independent Justice Department can protect the safety and civil rights of everyone in our country. And we know that only an independent Justice Department can ensure that the facts and law alone will determine whether a person is investigated or prosecuted,” Garland said. “It is the obligation of each of us to adhere to our norms even when — and especially when — the circumstances we face are not normal.”

And he was adamant that there are times when the attorney general has to have the backs of a department that will often do things that will make people angry on the Left and the Right.

“The attorney general must not just lead this department’s workforce but must respect it and, when necessary, defend it. It is the responsibility of every employee of the Justice Department to do what is right. And it is the obligation of the attorney general to have their backs when they do,” Garland said. “That is what you have done. And that is the kind of attorney general I have tried to be.”

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(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris continued their farewell tour on Thursday, attending the Department of Defense Commander in Chief Farewell Ceremony, offering his thanks to U.S. troops for their service throughout his administration.

“Serving as your commander in chief has been the greatest honor of my life. While I’m deeply grateful for your thanks and affection, I’m here to thank you. Thank you for your service to our nation and for allowing me to bear witness to your courage, your commitment, your character. As I listened to the choir sing, I thought about it. You all represent what America is: Character, honesty, integrity, commitment,” Biden said.

The president spoke to the global conflicts he faced during his time in office that as commander in chief he asked American troops to help carry out, including ending the war in Afghanistan and the chaotic withdrawal.

“I believe history will reflect, it was the right thing to do. But I know it was hard. After decades of losing your brothers and sisters, including through withdrawal, the pain was still real. And it was for me as well,” Biden said of the decision with a much more reflective tone than we’ve seen in recent speeches.

Biden also spoke about the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“Six months after that war ended, when Russia began its largest war in Europe since World War II, I asked you to help defend Ukraine. You didn’t hesitate. You kept Ukraine in the fight. Trained Ukrainian soldiers and pilots, troops bolstered NATO’s eastern flank. And above all, you showed the world, America stands up for freedom. Stands with our friends. America stands strong with our allies. We never bend down,” Biden said.

Biden also praised U.S. troops for playing a part in the hostage and ceasefire deal finally coming together, and their service in the Middle East.

“I asked you to deploy to the Middle East. Again, you stepped up, pulling long nights and long deployments to weaken Hamas, to defending Israel against unprecedented attacks in Iran. Imagine, had we not? If we don’t lead the world, who will lead the world?” he said.

The president praised the work of the armed forces for helping to keep China in check and strengthening America’s standing in the Pacific.

Biden also highlighted the work his administration has done to help veterans, including passing the PACT act to help veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits while serving, like his late son Beau.

Speaking personally about his own family’s experience with the military, Biden praised the first lady’s work with military families.
“Most Americans never see the sacrifices that you make every single day. They’ll never see all those holidays and birthdays with an empty seat at the dinner table, because mom or dad was deployed. They’ll never see all the moves you had to make to new states, to new schools, to new jobs. But I see it and Jill saw it. She made it her life’s work. She’s done everything big and small,” Biden said of his wife.

“So, for the last time as commander in chief, I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the families. We owe you. I’ve long said as a nation, we have many obligations. But I say we only have one truly sacred obligation. That’s the prayer of those we send into harm’s way and care for them and their families when they come home and when they don’t,” Biden added.
Closing out his remarks, Biden gave one final request to the troops “not as your president or commander in chief, I say it as a man who spent 50 years of his life serving his country in a different way.”

“Remember your oath. My son, Major Beau Biden, used to call it home base. That’s a set of principles of values that give you light and darkness that guide you,” he said. “It’s true to the military. It’s the best weapons, the best training in the world, with the most cutting-edge ships, planes, and subs. We have the smartest, most well-trained force on Earth. That’s all critical. But that alone is not what makes us strong. This is not what brought Washington its band of brothers together all those years ago.”

“It’s our values. I mean it sincerely, it’s our values, American values, our commitment to honor, to integrity, to unity, to protecting and defending not a person or a party or a place, but an idea,” he said.

Prior to his remarks, the president and first lady were presented with the Distinguished Public Service Medal. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin placed the medal on the chest pocket of Biden’s suit jacket and presented him with a framed certificate, after a commendation was read overhead.

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(WASHINGTON) — The official portraits of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance were released Thursday by the Trump transition team.

“And they go hard,” a press release from the transition said about the portraits.

The statement added, “In just four days, Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States and JD Vance as the 50th Vice President of the United States — and their official portraits are here.”

Trump and Vance will be sworn-in on Monday, Jan. 20.

President Joe Biden will be in attendance as his successor is sworn in, resuming a tradition of American democracy that Trump himself sidestepped in 2021.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos will also be in attendance.

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(WASHINGTON) — The Biden administration doesn’t plan to take action that forces TikTok to immediately go dark for U.S. users on Sunday, an administration official told ABC News.

TikTok could still proactively choose to shut itself down that day — a move intended to send a clear message to the 170 million people it says use the app each month about the wide-ranging impact of the ban.

But the Biden administration is now signaling it won’t enforce the law that goes into effect one day before the president leaves office.

“Our position on this has been clear: TikTok should continue to operate under American ownership. Given the timing of when it goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to implement,” a White House official told ABC News in a statement.

The way the law works, TikTok isn’t required to go dark on Jan. 19. It’s the app stores and internet hosting services that could be on the hook if they keep providing their services to TikTok. The law gives the Justice Department the power to pursue fines of up to $5,000 per user, an enormous potential liability given the app’s popularity.

So even if President Joe Biden — or President-elect Donald Trump — say they won’t enforce the ban, tech companies will still be liable as long as TikTok is owned by ByteDance. Apple, Google and Oracle have so far not responded to or declined to comment to ABC News about what they will do on Sunday.

And the reality is that both presidents have limited options to put the ban on hold.

The law states the president can grant a one-time extension delaying the ban for up to 90 days under three very specific conditions: TikTok must show it’s on a “path to executing” a divesture from its Chinese owner; there must be “evidence of significant progress” toward a sale; and that progress must be sealed with “relevant binding legal agreements.”

At this point, there is no sign that any of those conditions have been met.

A group of Democrats in the House and Senate introduced a bill on Tuesday that would have given TikTok’s parent company ByteDance an additional 270 days to sell or divest but Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, cited national security concerns in objecting to a request by sponsor Sen. Ed Markey for the Senate to unanimously approve the extension on Wednesday.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor on Thursday that it was “stunning” that Cotton blocked Markey’s effort.

“It’s clear that more time is needed,” Schumer said. “We will continue to work to find a responsible solution to keeping TikTok going, protect American livelihoods, and protect against Communist Chinese Communist Party surveillance, we must and can do all three.”

Biden signed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which was part of a massive, $95 billion foreign aid package passed by Congress in April of last year.

Biden and some congressional leaders argued that the ultimatum against TikTok was necessary because of security concerns about ByteDance and its connections to the Chinese government.

Trump originally tried to ban TikTok in his first term, but has since reversed course, vowing during the 2024 presidential campaign to “save” the app. In a news conference in December, the president-elect said he had a “warm spot in my heart” for the app and gave it credit for helping him win over young voters.

Later in December, he asked the Supreme Court to delay the deadline so that he could work out a “negotiated resolution” that would save the app.

Trump met with TikTok CEO Shou Chew at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida last month and he plans to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday, sources told ABC News.

On Wednesday, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, told Fox News that Trump was looking for options to “preserve” TikTok.

Waltz was asked about a Washington Post report that Trump was considering an executive order to suspend enforcement of the law. Sources familiar with the discussions confirmed to ABC News that Trump’s team has been talking about a plan, including a possible executive order, to keep TikTok available.

“If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear: Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use and has been great for his campaign and getting his message out. But number two, he’s going to protect their data,” Waltz said.

“He’s a deal maker,” Waltz added. “I don’t want to get ahead of our executive orders, but we’re going to create this space to put that deal in place.”

A majority of justices on the Supreme Court last week appeared inclined to uphold the law. During oral arguments, concerns about intelligence threats posed by China and potential future weaponization of the app seemed to override concerns about potential infringement on free speech rights.

“Are we supposed to ignore the fact that the ultimate parent of TikTok is doing intelligence work?” Chief Justice John Roberts asked the company’s attorney.

-ABC News’ Rachel Scott and Mariam Khan contributed to this report

 

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(HELENA, Mont.) — The Montana House of Representatives advanced a bill to ban transgender people from using public bathrooms that do not align with their sex assigned at birth, the first of this type of legislation to progress in the 2025 session.

It is one of 138 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S. tracked by the ACLU so far this year.

This comes after a bipartisan effort in December to reject a measure that would have banned state Rep. Zooey Zephyr — the first openly trans lawmaker in the state — from using the women’s bathroom at the state Capitol.

The new bill states that a “restroom, changing room, or sleeping quarters … that is designated for females or males may be used only by members of that sex.”

The bill seeks to define sex “based on the organization of the body parts and gametes for reproduction,” adding that the sexes are defined by “sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex chromosomes, gonads, and nonambiguous internal and external genitalia present at birth” and not any other definition of gender.

The bill does not include a definition or classification for those born intersex, or people with ambiguous genitals, chromosomes, hormones or reproductive organs that are neither clearly male nor female at birth.

The bill does not state how it will be enforced or how those using such facilities will be checked. However, the bill does state that residents can sue for attorney fees and other costs if “another individual of the opposite sex” is using a single-sex facility.

When her colleagues declined to support a similar bathroom ban in 2024, Zephyr applauded the rejection: “I’m happy to see that this proposed ban failed and am grateful for my colleagues — particularly my republican colleagues — who recognized this as a distraction from the work we were elected to do,” she posted on social media platform X. “I’m ready to represent my constituents & look forward to working on behalf of Montana.”

Critics of bathroom bans say they create a false “fear” of transgender people. They argue transgender people aren’t inherently dangerous and are four times more likely to be victims of violence than cisgender people, according to recent studies.

In a past interview, Zephyr told ABC News that she believes anti-transgender rhetoric and legislation have been a distraction from the issues facing average Americans.

“Leave trans people alone, let us live our lives and let our representatives get back to trying to make our states better places for all of us,” Zephyr said.

ABC News reached out to Zephyr for comment on the measure Wednesday.

Zephyr did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment on the measure Thursday.

Those in support of the bill argue that restrictions on bathroom use enhance safety and privacy for women.

Montana Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, a Republican, said the bill “reflects the values and priorities of Montanans, protecting privacy, safeguarding dignity, and ensuring safety for women and children in vulnerable places.”

She continued, “This bill is not about exclusion or hate, it’s about common sense boundaries that have served our society for generations.”

One study in the Sexuality Research and Social Policy journal was unable to find evidence that trans-inclusive policies on restrooms, lockers and changing rooms increase safety risks or related crimes.

Transgender people – who are estimated to make up less than 1% of the adult population – have been the focus of conservative-sponsored legislation across the country.

Last year, restrictions on transgender participation in sports, bathroom use, gender marker changes, pronoun use in schools and gender-affirming care made up a majority of the record-breaking 533 anti-LGBTQ bills tracked by the ACLU in the 2024 legislative sessions nationwide.

Zephyr won her bid for reelection to the Montana House of Representatives after she was censured and barred from the House floor for almost two years for protesting a gender-affirming youth care ban in her state.

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