A Manhattan City Council member is warning that the Justice Department's directive to dismiss federal corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams may suggest the mayor is now beholden to President Donald Trump and his agenda.

"The only thing worse for our city than Trump giving the mayor a get-out-of-jail-free card is the unspoken deal that comes with it. Our mayor shouldn't be beholden to anyone but the voters. A dismissal without prejudice means Adams isn't off the hook; he's just on notice," Democratic Councilman Shaun Abreu wrote on X.

During an interview on "Mornings On 1," Abreu noted some colleagues are feeling similarly, saying, "They were stunned by the decision but also, in many ways, not surprised by it."

Abreu—who represents upper Manhattan, including Morningside Heights and parts of Washington Heights—added that while Adams may have his federal charges dismissed without prejudice, they could be refiled at any time. He warned that Adams may now be under pressure to align with Trump's interests.

"When a case is dismissed without prejudice, it means Donald Trump and the Justice Department can bring this case back at any given moment. That means we're going to have a mayor who will likely walk a fine line to meet the president's needs at the expense of New Yorkers," he said.

Abreu said the City Council will now take on a role to ensure Adams does not prioritize Trump's agenda over the city's needs.

"We have to make sure that we exhaust all of our legal means. The council's exploring legal options to make sure the mayor enforces the city's sanctuary laws. Also, making sure in this budget process that we use our oversight powers to ensure the needs of New Yorkers are met," he said. "Politically, we need to support candidates who can beat this mayor in the Democratic primary."

Abreu also said Adams has already directed some city officials to refrain from criticizing the president.

"How is it possible we're going to have a New York City leader who is already telling city agencies and city officials, 'We cannot criticize President Trump?'" Abreu said. "Under President Biden, we had to criticize the president to get resources coming our way. But now we're saying, 'Let's stay silent.'"

As for the possibility of Adams leaving the Democratic Party, Abreu said it's almost expected.

"He appeared on Tucker [Carlson's] show. We saw that he had dinner with John Catsimatidis, literally, upon learning of the news that the case would be dismissed without prejudice. Eric Adams has taken trips to Mar-a-Lago," he said. "There's a real possibility that Eric Adams runs as a Republican."