Eric Adams ‘only one who can beat Mamdani,’ not dropping out of race

He slammed former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as well as Mamdani as being born with a "silver spoon" in their mouths, and that "they are not like" other New Yorkers.

Leading up to the press conference, Adams' campaign had said he was going to make "an important announcement regarding the future of his campaign." This came after reports that said President Donald Trump had been speaking to the New York City mayor about a position in the Trump administration.

Recent polling in the New York City mayoral race has placed Adams around fourth, with socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani leading over the other candidates. However, polls with a head-to-head match with Mamdani and Cuomo have shown that the former governor has a good shot at becoming mayor over Mamdani if all other candidates leave the race.

Trump said on Thursday, "I would like to see two people drop out and have it be one-on-one. And I think that's a race that could be won.”

Prior to his afternoon announcement, Adams had said in a statement, "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."

"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 added at the time.