NYC Mayor Mistakenly Wears T-Shirt with Italian Phrase to Honor DR Nightclub Roof Collapse Victims

New York City Mayor Eric Adams tried to show solidarity with the Dominican community after a tragic nightclub collapse, but his attempt got lost in translation—literally.

At a Thursday press conference, Adams stepped out wearing a tight white T-shirt featuring an American flag and what he claimed was the Spanish phrase for “In God We Trust.” The problem? It wasn’t Spanish. It was Italian.

Instead of saying “en Dios confiamos,” the shirt read “in Dio confidiamo.”

The gesture was meant to honor the 225 lives lost in the Jet Set nightclub disaster in Santo Domingo on April 6, where the roof collapsed during a packed event. Among the victims were notable figures like former MLB player Tony Blanco and former World Series champ Octavio Dotel.

Adams, speaking solemnly, explained the shirt was a sign of respect for the Dominican community—but sharp-eyed viewers and social media users weren’t exactly moved.

“King of the clowns,” one Redditor wrote, mocking the mayor’s blunder. “Did he spray seltzer water in the reporters’ faces too?”

Another chimed in, “There’s an atmosphere where no one tells King Bozo ‘no’—and it shows.”

Photos of Adams awkwardly wearing the undersized, misprinted shirt while signing documents or embracing Dominican officials quickly made the rounds online. Critics pointed out not just the language fail, but the overall odd styling, including what many called a “clip art font” and a lack of basic proofreading.

“There’s a really consistent Eric Adams thing where he fumbles whatever he’s trying to do—but what he’s trying to do also never makes sense,” one user posted.

So, how do you say “proofread” in Italian? Apparently not something anyone in the mayor’s office knew that day.

The mayor’s office declined to comment on the fashion fiasco.