In a move that could upend New York City's mayoral race, President Donald Trump is reported to be considering Mayor Eric Adams for U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
The potential nomination comes as Adams faces increasing pressure to drop his re-election bid in a crowded field against state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani, a democratic socialist and the Democratic nominee for mayor, leads in polls 60 days before the November general election.
Adams, an embattled mayor accused of corruption, has single-digit support for re-election, polls show. Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo are both running as independents, vying for moderate and conservative voters. Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, a crime prevention organization, is the lone Republican candidate in the largely Democratic city.
Getting Adams out of the race could help Cuomo consolidate support among voters who don't like Mamdani, political analysts have said.
Adams said in a statement that he has not received a formal job offer from the administration. "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," according to the statement.
