On September 5, 2025, New York City Mayor Eric Adams faced the press at Gracie Mansion, his official residence, and declared unequivocally that he would remain in the race for re-election. This announcement came after days of swirling reports that President Donald Trump was considering offering Adams a plum federal post—specifically, the ambassadorship to Saudi Arabia—in exchange for Adams dropping out of the mayoral contest. The political intrigue has gripped the city, raising questions about the future of its leadership and the lengths to which national figures might go to sway the outcome.
Adams, the charismatic and embattled mayor of the nation’s largest city, has seen his re-election prospects battered by federal bribery charges, poor polling numbers, and a campaign war chest that’s seen better days. Yet, despite these headwinds, he told reporters, “Serving New Yorkers as their mayor is the only job I’ve ever wanted. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made lowering crime, improving schools, building housing, and cutting costs for working families — and I remain the best person to lead this city forward.” According to the New York Daily News, Adams added, “While I will always listen if called to serve our country, no formal offers have been made. I am still running for reelection, and my full focus is on the safety and quality of life of every New Yorker.”
The “serve our country” line was a thinly veiled allusion to the rumors that President Trump might offer Adams a federal job to clear the field for a single challenger to the Democratic nominee, State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani, a 33-year-old self-described democratic socialist, has rattled both the city’s business community and moderate Democrats with his left-leaning policy proposals. Election Day is set for November 4, and the stakes could hardly be higher.
According to Reuters, Trump has made no secret of his distaste for Mamdani, stating, “I’d prefer not to have a communist mayor of New York City. And, you know, that’s what he is based on his policy. If you look at his statements in the past.” Trump’s strategy, as reported by The New York Times, involves urging Adams and other non-Mamdani candidates—former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa—to step aside, thus consolidating the anti-Mamdani vote behind a single contender. “It would seem to me that if he (Adams) stays in, if you have more than one candidate running against him (Mamdani), it can’t be won,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I would say that Cuomo might have a chance of winning if it was a one-on-one. If it’s not one on one, it’s going to be a hard race.”
Adams, for his part, has denied reports of secret meetings in Washington about his future, insisting, “I am running and I am going to beat Mamdani. The voters will determine who’s the next mayor of this city, and I will respect the outcome from the voters.” He declined to take follow-up questions from the press, leaving the city’s political class to speculate about his true intentions.
The rumors about a potential appointment as U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia were first reported by The New York Times, which cited four people familiar with the discussions. Trump, when pressed on the matter, flatly denied making any such offer: “I didn’t do that. No, I wouldn’t do that. It’s nothing wrong with doing it. But I didn’t do that.” Still, the mere suggestion of such a deal has sent shockwaves through City Hall and beyond.
Adams’ tenure has been marked by both triumphs and turmoil. A year ago, he became the first sitting mayor of New York City to face federal conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud charges. He pleaded not guilty and has consistently maintained his innocence. In a twist that left many observers stunned, Trump’s Justice Department dropped the case five months ago—not due to a lack of evidence, but because officials argued the prosecution was interfering with Adams’ ability to support the president’s deportation agenda. This decision was so controversial that half a dozen senior Justice Department attorneys resigned in protest.
The episode did little to quiet Adams’ critics, but it gave him a new lease on political life—at least temporarily. He shocked many Democrats by appearing alongside Tom Homan, Trump’s so-called border czar, on the conservative program “Fox & Friends.” There, Homan warned he would be “up his butt” if Adams reneged on his agreement to help with federal immigration enforcement. Adams and his attorney have denied that any deal was struck to secure dismissal of the charges.
Meanwhile, Mamdani’s grassroots campaign has upended the city’s political establishment. He scored a surprise victory over Cuomo in the June Democratic primary, winning by twelve points. His campaign, powered by clever social media videos and an army of volunteers, has energized progressive voters and alarmed moderates. Cuomo, for his part, is running as an independent after resigning as governor in 2021 during a sexual harassment scandal—a scandal he continues to deny. The Cuomo campaign declined to comment on Adams’ latest announcement, while neither the Mamdani nor Sliwa campaigns responded to requests for comment.
For Adams, the prospect of walking away from the mayor’s race is both a personal and political crossroads. As the New York Daily News pointed out, Adams has spent his life striving to become mayor, rising from NYPD captain to Brooklyn Borough President before winning City Hall. Despite the scandals and setbacks, he has accomplishments to tout—lower crime, improved schools, more housing, and cost cuts for working families. Some observers suggest that, if Adams were to exit now, he could do so with his head held high, unlike Cuomo, whose resignation was marked by disgrace.
Yet, Adams insisted he is not ready to bow out. He called a last-minute press conference to declare himself the only candidate who could beat Mamdani, even as he shares a political base with Cuomo. The dynamics of the race remain fluid, with Trump’s interventions adding yet another layer of unpredictability. Will Adams stay the course, or will the lure of a diplomatic post—or simply the chance to avoid further scandal—prove too tempting?
As the campaign barrels toward Election Day, New Yorkers are left to wonder who will ultimately lead their city. The only certainty is that, in this year’s mayoral race, nothing can be taken for granted.
