Mayor Adams Busted Meeting With Trump Aides Mid-Election
The New York City mayoral race has gotten a high level of scrutiny, with a new focus on current Mayor Eric Adams as he was revealed to be considering dropping out of the mayoral race in response to pressure from President Donald Trump. The sources cite private conversations Adams has had with confidants, as well as a reported opportunity to be an ambassador to Saudi Arabia for the Trump administration.
According to reporting from The New York Times, Adams has spoken with advisers and friends about the possibility of him ending his campaign to be re-elected as an independent candidate in order to pursue opportunities with the administration. The talks also included New York-based real estate magnate Steve Witkoff, who is a close associate and adviser of Trump. Adams’ office tried to hide knowledge of a recent meeting with Witkoff this past weekend in Florida, including claiming he was celebrating his birthday in Miami.
Trump has taken considerable interest in the mayoral race, publicly stating that he wants a “two-person race” and expressing his displeasure for the Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani who he labeled as a “communist”. Adams is seen as an underdog candidate, as opposed to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who Trump apparently prefers. Cuomo has denied seeking assistance from Trump, but did mention his influence in the race at a fundraising event in the Hamptons weeks ago.
Adams denied being offered a position on Friday, but seemed to leave room to be open to it according to reporting by Politico. “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,” he said in a statement.
Other positions that Adams was reportedly offered included a role with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as posts in other Persian Gulf nations. Current New York Governor Kathy Hochul (who has yet to endorse Mamdani along with House Minority Speaker Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Chuck Schumer) blasted Trump’s meddling, saying: “He should not be anointing the next mayor of New York City… no one should be accepting that assistance.”
