New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced he will stay in the race, rejecting reports of a Trump-backed ambassadorship offer to clear the path for Andrew Cuomo against frontrunner Zohran Mamdani.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared Friday that he will remain in the race for re-election, ending speculation that he might bow out under mounting political pressure and swirling rumors of a deal with the Trump administration.
Adams, running as an independent, faces a crowded field with Democratic Socialist frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Recent reports suggested Trump allies floated the idea of offering Adams an ambassadorship to Saudi Arabia in exchange for withdrawing from the race to give Cuomo a clearer path to challenge Mamdani. But Adams dismissed the rumors:
“Serving New Yorkers as their mayor is the only job I’ve ever wanted,” Adams said. “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.”
He added that no formal offers were made: “While I will always listen if called to serve our country, I am still running for re-election, and my full focus is on the safety and quality of life of every New Yorker.”
The clarification followed a controversial trip to Miami where Adams met with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff. City Hall initially described the visit as personal, though Adams later admitted meeting “several political figures.”
President Trump himself fueled speculation on Thursday, warning that Mamdani could win unless two of the major contenders step aside: “I don’t think you can win unless you have one-on-one, and somehow he’s gotten a little bit of a lead. I would like to see two people drop out and have it be one-on-one, and I think that’s a race that could be won.”
Mamdani, 33, has remained the presumptive frontrunner since defeating Cuomo in June’s Democratic primary. But his anti-Israel record — including refusing to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada” and criticizing Israel a day after the October 7 Hamas massacre — has drawn sharp criticism.
With Adams staying in, New Yorkers now face a volatile four-way race where alliances, endorsements, and outside pressure could still reshape the city’s political landscape before November.
