Lead: On Sept. 3, 2025, advisers in former President Donald Trump’s circle privately explored offering federal posts to New York Mayor Eric Adams and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa to reshape the November mayoral contest and improve Andrew Cuomo’s prospects against frontrunner Zohran Mamdani.
Key Takeaways
- Multiple Trump advisers have discussed the idea of offering jobs to Mayor Eric Adams and Curtis Sliwa to clear the field before the Nov. 2025 general election.
- The apparent aim is to boost Andrew Cuomo, running as a third-party candidate after losing the June Democratic primary to Zohran Mamdani.
- Discussions involve New York business figures, including billionaire John Catsimatidis, who has spoken with people close to the president.
- Polls show Zohran Mamdani leading since June; Adams is polling in fourth place, often in single digits, while Sliwa hovers near 15 percent.
- Intermediaries have contacted Adams associates, but no confirmed job offer or acceptance has been reported.
- The White House declined to comment; campaign spokespeople for Adams and Sliwa deny any agreed departures.
- Any federal intervention in a heavily Democratic city could produce significant political backlash and legal scrutiny.
Verified Facts
Reporting by multiple sources indicates that conversations within Mr. Trump’s orbit have considered public or private-sector positions for Mayor Eric Adams and, separately, for Curtis Sliwa. Three people with knowledge of those discussions described them as aimed at altering the dynamics of the New York mayoral race ahead of the November general election.
Those involved have discussed the plan with New York business leaders and allies of Andrew Cuomo, the 67-year-old former governor who is running as a third-party candidate after his June primary defeat to 33-year-old Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. The stated objective was to give Mr. Cuomo a clearer path against Mr. Mamdani by reducing the moderate-conservative split.
Advisers reportedly communicated through intermediaries with associates of Mayor Adams about the possibility of stepping aside. Adams has publicly said he intends to continue his campaign; his spokeswoman and his former chief of staff working on the re-election effort denied knowledge of any deal and reiterated that he plans to remain in the race.
Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate and founder of the Guardian Angels, has told reporters he plans to stay in the contest and believes he can defeat Mr. Mamdani. People briefed on the talks said Mr. Sliwa has previously expressed little interest in federal office, though some in Trump’s orbit considered whether he could be persuaded.
Context & Impact
New York’s November mayoral race is unusually fragmented: Mamdani led after the June primary, while Cuomo, Adams, Sliwa and briefly other candidates have divided moderate and conservative votes. Jim Walden suspended his campaign and urged consolidation around a single alternative to Mamdani.
An intervention by the Trump administration would be politically charged in New York City, where the president remains broadly unpopular. For Trump and allies, however, helping to reshape the field could be viewed as a tactical move to blunt a candidate they consider troubling for business and public-safety policy.
Potential impacts include:
- Short-term consolidation of moderate votes around a single candidate if Adams or Sliwa withdraw.
- Political backlash among city Democrats and voters who see federal involvement as inappropriate interference.
- Broader national implications for midterm messaging, with some Republicans preferring a Mamdani victory to amplify intra-party contrasts.
Mayor Adams is a lifelong New Yorker who has dedicated his entire career to this city, and he intends to continue that work for another four years as mayor.
Kayla Mamelak Altus, spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams
He won’t be distracted by responding to rumors.
Frank Carone, former chief of staff to Mayor Adams
I am committed to carrying this fight through to Election Day.
Curtis Sliwa, mayoral candidate
Unconfirmed
- No public record confirms a specific job offer was formally made to Mayor Adams or Curtis Sliwa.
- It is unconfirmed whether Mr. Adams would accept a federal position if offered.
- Reports of private meetings in Miami have not been fully disclosed or independently verified.
- The long-term legal or political consequences of any intervention remain speculative.
Bottom Line
Advisers close to former President Trump have weighed using federal appointments to reshape the New York mayoral field, but the talks appear tentative and their outcome uncertain. Any move that materially alters the ballot could change the November dynamics — and would likely trigger intense political and public scrutiny in a city where national partisan intervention is controversial.