New York Mayor Eric Adams declared on Sunday that he would discontinue his re-election campaign, withdrawing from a contest that has unsettled the political landscape and garnered the interest of national leaders, including President Donald Trump.
“Despite all we’ve accomplished, I cannot continue my re-election campaign,” he stated in a video announcing his departure, further explaining that “constant media speculation” regarding his future made it unfeasible to remain in the race.
“Significant change is both welcomed and required, but be cautious of those who suggest the solution lies in dismantling the very framework we have established across generations,” he remarked. “That constitutes chaos, not change. Instead, I implore leaders to select their counterparts based on their proven achievements, rather than their pledges.”
Adams refrained from endorsing any other contender in the election.
Adams’ campaign faced long odds; the sitting mayor has spent much of his time since being sworn in to lead New York City in 2022 mired in controversy, most notably regarding allegations of bribery and conspiracy. Adams has denied these accusations. The Justice Department, which filed the charges against Adams in September while President Joe Biden was in office, dropped the case in April, citing that pursuing it would hinder the mayor’s ability to implement the Trump Administration’s firm immigration agenda. Upon approving the dismissal, the judge characterized the situation as “disturbing,” remarking that “everything here suggests a bargain: dismissal of the indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions.”
In the same month, Adams—who competed as a Democrat in the 2021 mayoral election— announced he would seek re-election as an independent candidate.
For months, the mayor resisted demands to resign or withdraw his candidacy. However, reports emerged earlier this month indicating that Adams had informed his close associates he was exploring other prospects instead of pursuing re-election. Adams reportedly engaged in discussions with Trump’s advisers concerning the mayor potentially dropping out of the race and assuming a role within the Administration: Politico reported an offer for him in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, while the Times revealed discussions among Trump’s advisers about a potential plan for the President to nominate Adams as ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Amid these reports, a spokesperson for Adams stated that the mayor had not engaged in any discussions with Trump regarding the election, although Adams later commented he “will always listen if called to serve our country.” Trump declared on Sept. 4 that he was urging all candidates to withdraw from the race. He further expressed, however, that he would “prefer not to have a Communist mayor of New York City,” seemingly referencing Democratic nominee Mamdani, and that he “would like to see two people drop out” of the race to enable a single candidate to contend against Mamdani—who has maintained a clear lead in surveys—in a head-to-head competition. “I think that’s a race that could be won,” he asserted.
Mamdani, a Democratic socialist and state Assemblymember, secured the Democratic nomination when he defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Party’s June primary election. This victory constituted a remarkable political upset: Cuomo had long been regarded as a leading contender in the primary, until Mamdani saw a rapid rise in poll numbers in the weeks preceding the election.
Following Mamdani’s win, Trump privately discussed whether to intervene in the mayoral contest to attempt to thwart the Democratic nominee from securing the general election, sources familiar with those conversations informed the .
The President has publicly criticized Mamdani repeatedly, labeling him “a 100% Communist Lunatic.” Trump has contributed to false assertions that Mamdani is in the U.S. “illegally” (which is incorrect; Mamdani, born in Uganda and having arrived in the U.S. as a child, became a naturalized American citizen in 2018). The President has even called for Mamdani’s arrest, following the Democratic nominee’s pledge to resist Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
With Adams’ withdrawal from the election, Mamdani is still slated to contend against Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and Cuomo, who is launching an independent campaign after his defeat in the Democratic primary, in November’s election. Trump endorsed Cuomo’s choice to run as an independent, remarking at the time, “I think he should stay. I think he has a shot.” The publication reported that Trump’s advisers have also considered convincing Sliwa to discontinue his candidacy to improve Cuomo’s prospects against Mamdani.
and have both refuted any communication with the White House.