NYC mayor's race: Eric Adams insists he is staying in the race amid speculation of potential Trump appointment

Mayor Eric Adams insisted Friday he is fully committed to his reelection campaign, amid growing speculation that the Trump administration is coaxing him to drop out in exchange for a federal appointment.

Delivering remarks late in the afternoon at the mayoral residence Gracie Mansion, Adams accused opponent Andrew Cuomo of trying to push him out of the race in what Adams alleged was the latest in Cuomo's history of marginalizing Black opponents. 

Adams is running third according to polls behind Cuomo and frontrunner Zohran Mamdani.

"Andrew Cuomo’s a snake and a liar. I am in this race, and I’m the only one that can beat Mamdani," Adams said. "I’m running for reelection." 

Adams ignored reporters' shouted questions. Asked to explain Adams' criticism of Cuomo, Adams' spokesman Todd Shapiro declined.

Adams said he is unlike Cuomo and Mamdani because he is a "working class New Yorker."

“I have two spoiled brats running for mayor. They were born with silver spoons in their mouths," he said.

Cuomo spokeswoman Serena Roosevelt declined to comment.

The news conference capped a week of rumors and speculation in a sometimes bitter and wide-open mayoral race.

In just two weeks, Adams has gone from "hell no" would he ever withdraw, to a prepared statement earlier Friday that "I will always listen if called to serve our country."

Adams’ statement, days before the deadline for any candidate to be dropped from the ballot, came as President Donald Trump is reportedly considering appointing Adams to a presidential post to help narrow the mayoral election to a two-man race between Mamdani, a state assemblyman; and Cuomo, the ex-governor.

"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," said the Adams statement, issued by Shapiro. "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."

Mamdani's spokeswoman Dora Pekec, in a text, sent a Mamdani statement after the news conference: “Through the collusion and corruption of the past few months, our relentless focus on the affordability crisis — created by Andrew Cuomo and inflamed by Eric Adams — has not wavered. In November, we’re going to deliver a city working New Yorkers can afford and turn the page on the broken, billionaire-backed politics of the past.” 

Among the jobs Trump is reportedly considering for Adams: a post with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the ambassadorship to Saudi Arabia.

Tuesday, Adams was in Florida, where he met with Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Shapiro said. Adams said he would not be in Washington on Monday to meet with Trump; Shapiro declined to comment when asked about any other day of the week.

So close to the election, there are only a handful of ways under the law a candidate can be dropped from the ballot, including dying or moving out of state.

Sept. 11 — on Thursday — is when the ballot, and its candidates, will be certified per election law, according to Vinny Ignizio, deputy executive director of the city Board of Elections. Ballots will start being mailed Sept. 19, he said.

Polls show Adams, the incumbent who has faced a raft of scandals, polling in third behind Mamdani, the frontrunner, and Cuomo. Only by narrowing the race does Cuomo appear to have a chance, polls show.

In June, Mamdani stunned the political establishment by trouncing Cuomo in the primary.

Last month, Adams, who withdrew from the primary and is running as an independent, balked when asked if he’d quit.

"When you were calling around to my staff saying ‘is the announcement today that Eric is stepping down?’ Hell no," Adams said. "I’m never going to quit on the City of New York, we worked too hard to get here."

The Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa, said nothing will drive him from the race.

A pool report Friday from the White House said Trump said he didn't offer Adams an ambassadorship.

Trump, the report said, seems to be resigned to "a communist mayor," referring to Mamdani. 

"If you have more than two candidates," Trump said, "you have a communist mayor of New York."

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By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.