Mayor Eric Adams got defensive when pressed Friday to justify his three-day trip to Los Angeles — claiming he was working to attract business back to the Big Apple, while polls showed New Yorkers are souring on his efforts to stem violent crime.

Adams argued its part of his job to leave the Big Apple and learn tips from other mayors across the country on how to attract and retain businesses — but when pressed as to why then he used campaign cash to pay for the trip, he refused to answer.

“This is what I must do. I must do what other mayors are doing. They’re coming to my city, in our city, encouraging businesses to go to their city. They’re learning from our ideas,” said Adams Friday at an unrelated event in Times Square.

“And if I’m going to sit home while other people are coming, taking our businesses, that’s a big mistake. I’m going to crisscross the globe and I’m going to show people our product.”

Adams spent the last two and a half days in the City of Angels, where he was the only elected official on a financial technology panel organized by the Milken Institute and attended a swanky soiree with comedian Dave Chappelle.

A City Hall rep told The Post his 2025 campaign paid for his flight there and back, as well as two nights worth of hotel stays.

The official would not comment when asked if Adams brought government staffers with him and whether he also used campaign cash on their airfare and lodging. The individual also said Adams can use campaign funds to pay for a trip combining government and campaign activities.

“I need businesses here. We want to be the center of life sciences, cybersecurity, of bitcoin, blockchain. And then we must go and learn what other cities are doing. That is what we want to do,” he added.

But while the mayor was away — and then his return flight was unexpectedly delayed — not only did the shootings continue, but a new poll showed New Yorkers are losing confidence in the ex-cop’s ability to get a handle on the spate of gun and other violence turning New York into Fear City.

Fifty three percent of voters were not confident that he could rein in gun violence, compared to 43% of voters who said they were at least somewhat confident in his ability, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.

His overall support rating slipped from a 46% approve and 27% disapprove margin in a February survey, to 43% approve and 37% disapprove.

Instead, Adams pointed to a separate poll released Friday that painted a rosier picture of his job performance — even though the analysis surveyed the opinions of people in the tristate area — rather than limited to the people Adams represents in the five boroughs.

The survey asked an omnibus group of individuals in New York City, Long Island, the Mid and Lower Hudson Valley, northern New Jersey, and Southern Connecticut whether they approve of their political leaders — Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy gathered 66% approval ratings, followed by Adams at 59%.

“Polls go up and down. Those are you who followed me on the campaign, you heard three things, stay focused, no distractions, and grind. I am less than six months into my administration. And so throughout these six months, it’s going to be a rollercoaster. But at the end of it, we’re going to turn this city around,” defended Adams.

The poll was conducted by the Global Strategy Group, headed by Jeffrey Pollack, disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s former pollster who helped the pol combat sex harassment allegations, according to documents included in state Attorney General Letitia James’ bombshell sexual misconduct investigation.

Pollack also aided Amazon’s so far unsuccessful anti-labor efforts to try and stop the employees working in the company’s Staten Island-based warehouse from unionizing.