Related video: Eric Adams says he’s staying in NYC mayoral race
President Trump on Friday appeared resigned to “a communist in New York City” after incumbent Mayor Eric Adams (D) announced plans to stick with his independent reelection bid, despite calls from the White House for a one-on-one race between former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and Democratic primary winner Zohran Mamdani.
“He’s free to do what he wants,” Trump said of Adams as he spoke to reporters in the Oval Office.
“It would seem to me … that the only way you’re going to beat the communist — because you have a communist running. Which is fine. I’ll have to deal with a communist in New York City. I never thought that was going to happen. … It would seem to me that if he stays in, if you have more than one candidate running against him, it can’t be won.”
The president’s comments came moments after Adams announced he would stay in the mayoral race, amid reports that he might be offered a job in the Trump administration as a way to help consolidate opposition against Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, and clear the way for a one-on-one battle with Cuomo, who also is running as an independent.
Trump has repeatedly blasted Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist, as a “communist lunatic” and a threat to New York City.
“I would say that Cuomo might have a chance of winning if it was one-on-one. If it’s not one-on-one, it’s going to be a hard race. And we’ll get used to a communist, and he’s going to have to go through the White House to get approvals for everything,” Trump said Friday.
He called the mayor “a very nice person” but denied rumors that he offered Adams an ambassadorship.
“No, I didn’t do that. There’s nothing wrong with doing it, but I didn’t do that,” Trump said.
Adams met with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff in Florida earlier this week, according to The Associated Press, and the New York Post reported Friday that Adams was set to meet with the White House in D.C. next week.
The president had said Thursday he’d “like to see two people drop out” of the contest.
But Adams on Friday reaffirmed that he’s staying in the race for a second term, maintaining that he’s the only candidate who can defeat Mamdani, while taking shots at Cuomo. He also denied reports that he would be visiting D.C. to discuss a position in the administration.
