As his future in politics is called into question, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is fighting back hard, refuting rumors that he is set to step aside from the mayoral race for a seat in Donald Trump’s administration.
Standing in the backyard of Gracie Mansion on Friday, Adams struck a defiant tone, declaring his commitment to staying in the race and accusing former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of trying to push him aside.
“Andrew Cuomo is a snake and a liar,” Adams told reporters. “I am in this race, and I’m the only one that can beat Mamdani.”
The remarks followed reports indicating Trump supporters were seeking to entice Adams out of the race with a possible administration position, with former governor Cuomo then set to unify the opposition against Zohran Mamdani, who beat Cuomo in the June Democratic primary. Cuomo is currently running as an independent candidate.
Adams dismissed the speculation, saying his focus remains on the mayoral race and the needs of working-class New Yorkers. “I have two spoiled brats running for mayor,” he said, taking aim at both Cuomo and Mamdani. “They were born with silver spoons in their mouths, not like working-class New Yorkers. I’m a working-class New Yorker. They are not like us.”
The city’s second African American mayor, Adams touted what he perceives as the achievements of his mayoralty, pointing to declining crime and low unemployment. But people familiar with the mayor admit his political position has softened and say he is starting to realize that he might have only one term.
Behind the scenes, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has been having private conversations with Adams, CNN said. One of the positions bandied around in the talks was an ambassadorship, with Saudi Arabia one of the countries being discussed as a possible posting. Individuals with knowledge of the talks characterized them as “ongoing and extremely fluid” and stressed that no formal offer has been made.
Adams himself tried to tread a cautious path on Thursday. “While I will always be available if called upon to serve our nation, no formal offers have been extended,” he wrote in a statement. “I am still running for reelection, and my singular focus remains the safety and quality of life for all New Yorkers.”
Trump spoke out from the White House on Friday, contradicting that Adams had been offered an ambassadorship but acknowledging he thinks Cuomo would have a better shot at beating Mamdani in November. “If it’s not one-on-one it’s going to be a hard race,” Trump stated, labeling Mamdani a “communist.”
Mamdani, on his side, dismissed the political theatrics. Asked by CNN’s Abby Phillip why he believes Adams is still in the race, Mamdani replied: “I can’t comment on Eric Adams’ motivations or his interests. I can simply say that it’s been a lot of noise the past few weeks. And we’ve seen that this is the specialty of Donald Trump and his puppets – a lot of noise, little results.”
Cuomo’s campaign refused to address Adams’ allegations.
Adams’ attacks highlight the mounting acrimony of the mayoral contest, which has been disrupted by rumors of Trump’s behind-the-scenes machinations and Cuomo’s comeback to city politics. If Adams were to leave, it would open up the way for Cuomo to unite anti-Mamdani voters. But for the moment, Adams maintains he is not retreating.
“I’m not getting out of this race,” Adams declared. “And I will continue to fight for the working class of this city.”
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