Lip reader spots Trump 'thanking' Eric Adams in viral exchange at UFC

President-elect Donald Trump and New York Mayor Eric Adams shared a brief exchange at UFC 309, and their intimate conversation has been revealed by an expert lip reader. 

The inside look into how the men feel about one another comes after Adams, 64, congratulated Trump, 78, on his election victory before skipping out on a major Democrat Party fundraiser the next day. 

Relations between the pair appear to have been cordial in the build-up to the election and since, as they bonded over their experiences being indicted. 

Jeremy Freeman, a certified expert at lip reading, evaluated the footage of the chat between the politicians, and what he found exhibits a continuation of this warm relationship as Trump appeared to thank the mayor. 

He told DailyMail.com Trump started out by saying 'Oh Eric...' before his face was blocked for a moment by the mayor. He continued by saying 'Not really. Thank you for all the...' before again being blocked from view. 

The duo shook hands and Trump lightly bumped Adams on the arm several times during the friendly exchange at Madison Square Garden in New York City, as they were flanked by several of the incoming president's allies, including Elon Musk. 

It comes after Adams congratulated Trump on his victory in a speech before speaking to the president-elect on the phone privately. 

'I communicated with the president yesterday to state that there are many issues here in the city that we want to work together with the administration to address. The city must move forward and that is what our call is to do,' Adams said.  

He then skipped out on attending 'Somos,' a huge Democrat Party fundraiser held in Puerto Rico that he has attended twice in the past. 

It led some liberals on social media to wonder if there were more nefarious reasons for the mayor's call, as he awaits a federal trial on corruption charges next April while both Adams and Trump have sympathized with each other's legal plights in the past.

Adams´ federal corruption trial will begin next April, a judge ruled last week, right in the thick of his promised reelection campaign.

U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho set the trial date as Adams returned to Manhattan federal court for a hearing on his bid to eliminate a key charge in the indictment that threatens his political future.

Ho said he´s confident the April 21, 2025, date will hold, 'assuming nothing unexpected comes up.'

At the same time, prosecutors said they still haven't been able to crack a potentially crucial piece of evidence: Adams´ personal cellphone.

According to his indictment, Adams changed his password just before giving the phone to authorities, then claimed he forgot it.

Adams' lawyers are fighting to throw out a bribery charge, one of five counts against the first-term Democrat.

They argued the charge doesn´t meet the U.S. Supreme Court´s recently narrowed threshold for the crime and shouldn´t apply to Adams because it involves allegations dating to before he became mayor.

Trump has pardoned Democrat politicians like former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich and former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick in the past. 

However, Adams told the press Thursday that he simply feels that the city could be chaotic after Trump's victory and he should be there to be in charge rather than at the fundraiser in the Caribbean. 

'My flight was booked, my hotel was booked, but I wanted to make sure that I'm here,' Adams said Thursday.

Adams attended the conference in 2021 and 2022 and still plans to have several allies on the ground but is now worried about what will happen to the liberal city after Trump's victory, where the president-elect made huge inroads with voters.

'There's a lot to do here, and I need to be here for these next couple of days as we move forward, as we make these transitions,' the mayor said. 'There's a great deal of work that I have to do.'

SOMOS is described as 'a leading force in bringing together Latino communities to make positive and transformative impacts resulting in an improvement in the socioeconomic and civic status of all Latinos across New York State and beyond.'

The mayor's quotes in recent weeks have seen him become more friendly toward the president, with liberal New York Magazine asking: 'Why Are Trump and Eric Adams Playing Political Footsie?'

Local outlet Gothamist have wondered more directly, saying: 'Trump presidency offers Mayor Adams a path to pardon, but it comes with political risk.' 

Adams harshly criticized Kamala Harris on her anti-Trump rhetoric in the days leading up to the election. 

The mayor was asked questions about preparation for Trump's blockbuster rally at Madison Square Garden.

He was asked if he agreed with Kamala Harris' statement earlier this week that Trump is a 'fascist.'  

'I have had those comments hurled at me by some political leaders in the city; my answer is 'No,'' he said of the statements, which were echoed by Joe Biden.

Trump defended Adams at the Al Smith Charity Dinner - which Harris skipped - when mentioning the mayor's federal indictment on bribery, fraud, and soliciting foreign campaign donations.

As in other public comments, Trump was sympathetic to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, drawing similarities to his own prosecution.

'Mayor Adams: good luck with everything. They went after you,' Trump said while acknowledging notables.

'I'd like to poke some fun at Eric, but I'm going to be nice. I just want to be nice because I know what it's like to be persecuted by the DOJ for speaking out against open borders. We were persecuted,' Trump said, following Adams' indictment on corruption charges and widening scandals amid his circle.

Then Trump allowed himself some fun. 'But I've got to say I've never met a person who's a vegan who liked Turkey so much,' referencing influence peddling allegations involving the country. 

Adams appeared to return the favor to the former president on Saturday, blushing at comparisons of Trump to the likes of Adolf Hitler. 

'I know what Hitler has done, and I know what a fascist regime looks like. I think, as I have called for over and over again, that the level of conversation, I think we can all dial down the temperature,' he added. 

He promised heavy security for the president's rally in Manhattan, while defending the event itself. 

'This is America. This is New York, and I think it's important that we allow individuals to exercise their right to get their message clear to New Yorkers,' he said.