Joann Ariola, the newly elected minority leader of the New York City Council, expressed skepticism Tuesday over the possibility of Mayor Eric Adams switching parties, saying that merely registering as a Republican wouldn't be enough to earn the support of the city's GOP base.

"Actions speak louder than your words, right? So you can register as a Republican, but if you don't have a Republican ideology … you're not a Republican," she said during an interview Tuesday on "Mornings On 1."

Ariola's comments came one day after the Department of Justice ordered that federal charges against the mayor be dropped, which she said the Republican caucus of the City Council was expecting.

"None of us can say we weren't expecting it. There was a lot of tells that were leading up to this, going to Mar-a-Lago, going to the inauguration, having meetings with his internal staff regarding meetings with ICE," she said. "So the big question is, will Mayor Adams now become a Republican?"

When asked if she would welcome Adams into the party, Ariola—who represents most of southern Queens, including Howard Beach and the Rockaway peninsula— said that the Republican base in New York City remains critical of many of Adams' policies. She dismissed the idea that Adams could suddenly pivot to the GOP and be embraced by the party.

"Not unless he shows himself to be a Republican," she said.

Meanwhile, discussing her new position as minority leader, Ariola said she will strive for bipartisanship to help get things done for her constituents.

"I see that we have to work with the Democrats in the City Council. Obviously, there are 51 members. Five of us are our Republicans. However, five Republicans, we've gotten a lot done," she said. "You have to be bipartisan to work in the City Council. And we are five, but we are staunch advocates that work well…We do have a voice. We do have a place."