NEW YORK — With just two months left before Election Day, Mayor Eric Adams is facing growing speculation that he may drop out of his reelection campaign — a move that could dramatically reshape the race for City Hall.
Adams’s campaign has struggled for months, weighed down by low polling numbers and a failure to qualify for millions in public matching funds. But this week, the political buzz hit a new level after the mayor returned from a previously unannounced trip to Florida and multiple outlets reported that the Trump administration may be trying to lure him out of the race.
According to the New York Times, senior Trump advisers have floated the idea of offering Adams a federal post — potentially at the Department of Housing and Urban Development — to clear the way for a one-on-one matchup between progressive Democrat Zohran Mamdani and former governor Andrew Cuomo. The New York Post and Politico published similar reports, citing conversations between administration officials and associates close to the mayor.
“I think Adams would be able to craft a position and a portfolio that’s to his liking,” one source close to the White House told the Post.
The reports also suggest Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, now the Republican nominee, has been approached about a job offer. But Sliwa has flatly rejected the idea, insisting he is “committed to carrying this fight through to Election Day.”
If Adams were to step aside, it could prevent a split among moderate and conservative voters that risks handing the race to Mamdani, who has consistently led polls. Cuomo has held steady in second place, while Sliwa and Adams have trailed.
Mamdani seized on the reports in a fiery social media post: “Today’s news confirms it: Cuomo is Trump’s choice for Mayor. The White House is considering jobs for Adams and Sliwa to clear the field. New Yorkers are sick of corrupt politics and backroom deals.”
Cuomo, for his part, has denied any coordination with Trump and said he would reject the president’s endorsement. Trump, who has frequently attacked Mamdani and threatened legal action against the city if he wins, has not publicly backed any candidate.
Adams tried to tamp down the rumors Wednesday, telling reporters his Florida trip was for personal reasons and insisting he remains in the race. “I have a job. I’m running for my reelection and I’m still doing that and I’m looking forward to getting reelected,” Adams said.
His campaign spokesman, Todd Shapiro, went further: “Mayor Adams has not met with Donald Trump — don’t believe the noise. He is not dropping out of the race. The Mayor is fully committed to winning this election.”
Still, the swirl of intrigue underscores just how fragile Adams’s position has become. With his reelection chances fading, and with Trump allies signaling they want him out of the picture, the mayor’s next steps could determine whether November’s race is a fractured free-for-all — or a head-to-head contest that could define New York’s political future for years to come.
