Report: Adams in Talks With Aides on Leaving Mayoral Race After Meeting Witkoff Amid Reports of Admin Position

As speculation about a possible role in the Trump administration mounts, New York City Mayor Eric Adams maintained publicly that he was staying in the race; privately, however, Adams has told a small circle of confidants and advisers that he is actively considering opportunities that could lead him to suspend his re-election campaign, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke with the New York Times on Thursday.

The conversations about Adams’s future have involved close associates of President Trump, including New York real estate investor Steve Witkoff, one of Trump’s trusted advisers. Adams and Witkoff met in Florida earlier this week in a meeting that had not been publicly disclosed, according to four people briefed on the encounter.

The gathering was kept under tight wraps. Initially, City Hall said Adams was attending to a “personal matter.” His campaign spokesman later said he was in Miami to celebrate his 65th birthday. When pressed further, Adams acknowledged only that he had met with “political figures,” including the mayor of Miami.

It remains unclear what Adams and Witkoff discussed, or whether Adams was formally offered a position. Even his closest allies admit it is difficult to predict what he might decide.

Several people with knowledge of the talks, who requested anonymity, said the discussions had intensified as Adams’s re-election chances weakened. He is facing multiple corruption scandals and declining poll numbers, exacerbated after the Trump administration dropped a corruption case against him in February in order to enlist his help with its immigration agenda.

Former Governor David Paterson, a longtime confidant who recently endorsed Adams, said the mayor told him Wednesday morning that he wanted to remain in the race but was weighing alternatives.

“He said something like, ‘That’s what I want to do, but I’m listening,’” Paterson told the Times. “But of course, what ‘I’m listening’ means is that he realizes the odds of winning aren’t what he’d like them to be, so there might be another alternative for him.”

Another source close to Adams said he is considering positions that could be available only if he exits the race, though they would not necessarily require him to resign before his term ends in December.

The Times and other outlets reported Wednesday that Trump intermediaries had reached out to Adams and his allies about a potential position in Washington. Trump advisers have also reportedly discussed finding a role for Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, hoping to set up a one-on-one contest between former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani. Sliwa has said he is not interested.

Reports earlier on Thursday indicated that Trump set a deadline for both Adams and Sliwa to step aside, clearing the way for Cuomo to take on Mamdani directly.

Trump, who grew up in New York but is now a Florida voter, has closely followed the mayoral race since June, when Mamdani, a 33-year-old vehemently anti-Israel and communist assemblyman, pulled off a surprise victory against Cuomo in the Democratic primary.

The White House has not commented on the matter. Todd Shapiro, a spokesman for Adams’s campaign, also declined immediate comment.

Even if Adams withdraws, Mamdani holds a commanding lead in polls across the heavily Democratic city. Trump’s backing of Cuomo could further alienate voters wary of the president.

Adams’s dwindling support means his departure would leave Cuomo with little additional backing to capture. Removing Sliwa from the race could shift dynamics more significantly: he won nearly 30 percent of the vote in 2021 against Adams and is currently polling in the mid-teens.