In a move that could upend New York City's mayoral race, President Donald Trump is reported to be considering Mayor Eric Adams for U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

The potential nomination comes as Adams faces increasing pressure to drop his re-election bid in a crowded field against state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani, a democratic socialist and the Democratic nominee for mayor, leads in polls 60 days before the November general election.

Adams, an embattled mayor accused of corruption, has single-digit support for re-election, polls show. Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo are both running as independents, vying for moderate and conservative voters. Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, a crime prevention organization, is the lone Republican candidate in the largely Democratic city.

Getting Adams out of the race could help Cuomo consolidate support among voters who don't like Mamdani, political analysts have said.

Adams, 65, said in a statement that he has not received a formal job offer from the administration. "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," according to the statement.

“Serving New Yorkers as their mayor is the only job I’ve ever wanted," he said.

In an afternoon news conference at Gracie Mansion, Adams again dismissed the reports, calling Cuomo "a snake and a liar" who wanted to push a Black candidate out of the race. Adams is the city's second Black mayor.

Immediately after Adams' announcement, President Donald Trump said Adams "is free to do what he wants." Cuomo has a better chance of beating Mamdani if he's in a one-on-one race, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Asked if he had offered an ambassadorship to Adams, Trump said, "It's nothing wrong with doing it, but I didn't do that."

Trump has said he'd like the race to 'be one on one.'

The New York Times first reported on the ambassadorship talks, followed by Politico, which both cited anonymous sources familiar with the discussions.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Adams opted not to run in the June Democratic primary, but has publicly said he’s staying in the race until the Nov. 4 general election.

Trump, a Queens native, has loomed over the mayoral campaign. Trump's Justice Department dropped federal corruption charges against Adams in April. Trump officials said the prosecution was politically motivated and hindered Adams from aiding in the administration's immigration enforcement plans.

Adams had visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and attended Trump's inauguration in what critics said were his attempts to get the charges dropped.

Trump has insisted that Mamdani, who dominated the June primary against Cuomo, cannot become mayor. Trump has even threatened to arrest Mamdani if he wins the mayor's race and fails to allow federal officials to enforce immigration laws.

Mamdani, 33, has said he would end the city's cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if elected.

Mamdani called attempts by Trump officials to intervene in the mayor’s race “outrageous.”

Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.

(This story was updated with new information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump considering NYC Mayor Eric Adams as ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Reporting by Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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