Chris Wallace Confronts NYC Mayor Eric Adams With Increased Crime Stats: ‘That’s Not Perception That’s Reality’

CNN anchor Chris Wallace confronted New York City Mayor Eric Adams with subway crime stats showing a sharp increase and told him, “That’s not perception. That’s reality.”

These latest interviews from Wallace’s series Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace on HBO Max — which will release in full on Friday — feature Mayor Adams, pop superstar Meghan Trainor, and author James Patterson.

In a preview clip of his in-depth interview with Mayor Adams, Wallace took on the mayor’s argument that city crime is partially a “perception” problem:

ADAMS: We have an average of less than six crimes a day on a subway system with 3.5 million riders. But if you write your story based on a narrative, then you’re going to look at the verse of those six crimes and put it on the front pages of your paper every day. So I have to deal with those six crimes a day felony crimes and the perception of fear. Yes, we decrease gun violence in the city, which I zeroed in on decreased homicides. We’ve made we’ve removed off our streets, over 5700 guns 27 year high and a gun arrest. We are attacking the problem exactly the way I stated.

WALLACE: You’re saying that the crime problem in this city is more perception than reality?

ADAMS: No, it’s a combination of both. New Yorkers must be safe.

WALLACE: But Mayor, the New York City crime statistics are that year to date, crime in the subways is up 41% Over the same period last year, and serious crime major felonies are up even more than that. That’s not perception. That’s reality.

ADAMS: If you do an analysis of the six major cities in America, the crime waves is tackling all of our cities. New York City is the safest. So yes, we have a real crime problem that we’re addressing. But part of that is the perception that every day, those six crimes are being highlighted over and over again.

Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace drops three full episodes each Friday morning, and CNN airs a version recapping highlights of the episodes every Sunday at 7 p.m.

Watch above via HBO Max and CNN.