Mayor Eric Adams is out of town and thousands of miles away for the rest of the week.

Following him are questions about who’s paying for the trip, why he’s traveling and whether he really needs to go.

“You have to be on the ground to see what’s going on,” he said Tuesday.

What You Need To Know

  • A group hosting a conference on antisemitism is footing the bill for Mayor Eric Adams' flights overseas and lodging in Greece

  • But taxpayers will foot the bill for his NYPD security detail

  • The mayor says he is covering his lodging in Qatar, where he plans to take notes on hosting World Cup games

  • The New York-New Jersey region is one of the 16 host sites when the event comes to North America in 2026

First, he jetted to Athens, Greece, Wednesday for a conference against antisemitism.

An Adams spokesperson said footing the cost of the mayor’s flight, his lodging and those of a senior adviser is the group that is hosting them, the Combat Antisemitism Movement.

“The temperature is increasing ever so slightly that we have allowed it to normalize in every part of our lives,” Adams said Wednesday at the summit. “We have become accustomed to it; it has become popular.”

Taxpayers are footing the cost of the NYPD detail that travels with Adams.

For the next several days, the mayor will be in Doha, Qatar, scouting the World Cup ahead of New York City’s role playing host city in 2026.

On his itinerary is catching a match.

“Whichever one is playing,” Adams had said Tuesday. “I don’t keep up with all games. I just want to make sure that we can do it right when they come here.”

The New York-New Jersey region is one of the 16 host sites when the event comes to North America in four years.

With Qatar serving as a stopover, the Combat Antisemitism Movement is paying for Adams’ flight to and from Doha.

Adams is covering his lodging there.

“It’s on my dime. When I do my dime, I can do my time and I don’t want to hear anyone whine,” he said Tuesday.

Mayors who leave town, especially abroad, run the risk of being unavailable if something goes awry at home.

Adams left a day after announcing his new directive permitting police to involuntarily hospitalize those appearing to be in severe mental distress.

In 2010, Mayor Bloomberg was in Bermuda when a blizzard hit New York City.

In 2017, Mayor de Blasio left for Germany after an NYPD officer was killed.

Then, there are potential or perceived conflicts of interest.

Last year, Adams traveled back from Puerto Rico on the private jet of cryptocurrency enthusiast Brock Pierce.

The mayor has said he repaid Pierce for his seat.

While Adams is out of town, First Deputy Mayor Lorraine Grillo is running point in New York City.