Maggie Haberman

Frankly, some aspects of the media, some aspects of the real estate industry were tinged with corruption. And Trump's sort of basic belief, and we hear him articulate this in various ways, is everything is a little corrupt. And he is suggesting in this case it's a lot.

Frankly, some aspects of the media, some aspects of the real estate industry were tinged with corruption. And Trump's sort of basic belief, and we hear him articulate this in various ways, is everything is a little corrupt. And he is suggesting in this case it's a lot.

Oh, 100%. I think the way you just described it is exactly it. Is Musk showing some level of dutiful obligation to Donald Trump? There's no question. And to that point, I would just add a sort of remarkable point that emerged this week. The Wall Street Journal first reported it and we confirmed it. X, which is owned by Musk, settled for multi-million dollars. We don't know the exact figure.

Oh, 100%. I think the way you just described it is exactly it. Is Musk showing some level of dutiful obligation to Donald Trump? There's no question. And to that point, I would just add a sort of remarkable point that emerged this week. The Wall Street Journal first reported it and we confirmed it. X, which is owned by Musk, settled for multi-million dollars. We don't know the exact figure.

It's somewhere in the area of $10 million. A lawsuit that Trump had brought against the site when it was Twitter owned by other people when his account was banned after January 6, 2021. So essentially the site, and I don't know exactly how the finances of X work in terms of Musk's ownership, et cetera, but this is his website, and it has now paid Donald Trump. Huh. a substantial amount of money.

It's somewhere in the area of $10 million. A lawsuit that Trump had brought against the site when it was Twitter owned by other people when his account was banned after January 6, 2021. So essentially the site, and I don't know exactly how the finances of X work in terms of Musk's ownership, et cetera, but this is his website, and it has now paid Donald Trump. Huh. a substantial amount of money.

And Trump could have said, you know, let's not do that.

And Trump could have said, you know, let's not do that.

Right. That's not what happened, evidently.

Right. That's not what happened, evidently.

One of his companies did, yes.

One of his companies did, yes.

Michael, there are so many inputs as how we got here, so I will just try to do the short version.

Michael, there are so many inputs as how we got here, so I will just try to do the short version.

I appreciate you, and you'll let me know if I don't get there. Eric Adams was indicted on corruption charges in September of 2024. The basics for bribery involves airline ticket upgrades and essentially a quid pro quo with a foreign government, Turkey in particular. Right. Trump started talking in December about possibly pardoning Adams.

I appreciate you, and you'll let me know if I don't get there. Eric Adams was indicted on corruption charges in September of 2024. The basics for bribery involves airline ticket upgrades and essentially a quid pro quo with a foreign government, Turkey in particular. Right. Trump started talking in December about possibly pardoning Adams.

He had treated Adams as a fellow traveler in what Trump calls the weaponized justice system, and he's been very clear about that. Adams has also started trying to forge a very clear relationship with Trump. He went down to Palm Beach to meet with him.

He had treated Adams as a fellow traveler in what Trump calls the weaponized justice system, and he's been very clear about that. Adams has also started trying to forge a very clear relationship with Trump. He went down to Palm Beach to meet with him.

And in January, the SDNY, the prosecutors in Manhattan, federal prosecutors, filed a court filing saying that they had uncovered evidence of additional criminal conduct by Adams. That signaled there could be more charges filed that could be more serious. Trump clearly does not think the charges against Adams as they are now are serious. And earlier this week,

And in January, the SDNY, the prosecutors in Manhattan, federal prosecutors, filed a court filing saying that they had uncovered evidence of additional criminal conduct by Adams. That signaled there could be more charges filed that could be more serious. Trump clearly does not think the charges against Adams as they are now are serious. And earlier this week,