Senior Trump advisers have discussed nominating New York Mayor Eric Adams to be U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia in an effort to persuade him to leave the Sept. 2025 mayoral contest, a plan that remains tentative and contested.
Key Takeaways
- Close advisers to former President Trump explored offering Mayor Eric Adams the ambassadorial post to Saudi Arabia to clear the New York mayoral field.
- Billionaire real estate investor Steve Witkoff met with Mr. Adams in Florida and has been active in pursuing the idea.
- The White House and Mr. Witkoff have not publicly confirmed a formal nomination or any other job offer.
- Mr. Adams has privately said he is weighing options while publicly maintaining he will remain in the race.
- Any ambassadorship would require Senate confirmation, which can take months and is not guaranteed.
- The proposal, if acted on, could alter a crowded local race and potentially benefit Andrew Cuomo’s independent bid.
- Several key elements — including Mr. Trump’s direct commitment and whether Mr. Adams would resign early — remain unresolved.
Verified Facts
According to four people familiar with the discussions, advisers close to Mr. Trump have drafted a plan that would see Mr. Trump nominate Mayor Eric Adams to be ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Steve Witkoff, a longtime Trump ally and real estate investor, met with Mr. Adams in Florida in recent days and has been engaged in related conversations.
The White House and Mr. Witkoff have not publicly confirmed that Mr. Trump has committed to a formal nomination or that any other federal position has been offered. Mr. Adams has told associates he is considering alternatives but has repeatedly said in public that he intends to stay in the race for a second term.
Mr. Adams canceled a scheduled public appearance on Friday morning, which his City Hall spokeswoman attributed to a “scheduling conflict.” Campaign spokespeople and the White House did not immediately comment when asked about the reported discussions.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department dropped a federal case against Mr. Adams in February. The ambassador post to Saudi Arabia became open after career diplomat Michael Ratney resigned in January. Ambassadorships are Senate-confirmed positions and can take months for approval.
Context & Impact
Political operatives on all sides view a potential nomination as a strategic way to thin a crowded field. If Mr. Adams accepted a federal post and left the race, that would reduce overlap among independent and Democratic-leaning voters and could clear a path for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also running on an independent line.
Mr. Trump said he would prefer two candidates to drop out so a third could face Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani in a direct matchup. Privately, Mr. Trump has signaled he believes Mr. Cuomo is best positioned to win a head-to-head contest.
For Mr. Adams, a Saudi ambassadorship would be a high-profile diplomatic assignment with substantial geopolitical reach, but it would also expose him to Senate scrutiny and foreign-policy questions that differ sharply from municipal governance. The move would mark a swift transition from city hall to an important foreign posting.
Practical barriers remain: confirmation timelines, Republican and Democratic senators’ appetite for the nomination, and the optics of a trade-off between political exit and a federal appointment.
Official Statements
“I would prefer two candidates to drop out,”
President Donald J. Trump (public remark)
“He had a scheduling conflict,”
Kayla Mamelak Altus, City Hall spokeswoman
Unconfirmed
- Whether President Trump has formally committed to nominating Mr. Adams.
- Whether any written offer or pledge of a federal position was made to Mr. Adams or his advisers.
- If Mr. Adams would be expected to resign immediately upon nomination or serve out part of his mayoral term.
- The precise role Mr. Witkoff would play beyond facilitating meetings and discussions.
Bottom Line
The reported overture to Mayor Eric Adams is a high-stakes political maneuver that, if executed, could reshape New York City’s mayoral contest and place a sitting mayor into a senior foreign-posting process subject to Senate approval. Key details and official commitments remain unsettled; the next days could clarify whether this strategy advances or stalls.