President Donald Trump is considering offering New York City Mayor Eric Adams a role in his administration in an effort to consolidate opposition to Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, according to a report published Wednesday by The New York Times.
The discussions, which sources said have been ongoing for weeks, are part of a broader strategy by Trump’s advisers to “clear the field” and improve the chances of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the crowded mayoral race.
Trump’s team has also looked at giving Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa a position in the White House, with the aim of leaving Cuomo as the strongest single challenger to Mamdani.
The Times report, citing three people familiar with the talks, said advisers believe removing Adams and Sliwa from the race could “damage the chances” that Mamdani secures control of City Hall.
“The discussions within Mr. Trump’s orbit about making a potentially audacious intervention date back weeks — and it is unclear if they will ultimately amount to anything,” the report noted. “But the topic has taken on added urgency in New York in recent days as an already chaotic race steams into the last stretch of the campaign season.”
Mamdani, a self-identified Democratic Socialist, stunned many in June when he defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary, propelling him to frontrunner status. Cuomo has since mounted an independent campaign, while Adams and Sliwa remain in the race, raising concerns among anti-Mamdani operatives that a split vote could secure Mamdani’s victory.
Trump officials have for months floated the possibility of enticing candidates out of the race with administration positions. Adams, whose political future has been clouded by scandal and sagging poll numbers, has been mentioned as a potential ambassador. Sliwa, meanwhile, was previously offered but declined a role in the Trump administration.
The reports of White House maneuvering come just days after The Times faced backlash for a story suggesting Mamdani — despite his self-identification as a Democratic Socialist — should not be described as an actual socialist. Conservative commentators widely mocked and criticized the report.
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