One of President Trump’s top advisers has pushed him to nominate Eric Adams as the next ambassador to Saudi Arabia – an outside-the-box deal designed to get the embattled mayor to end his desperate re-election bid, The Post has confirmed.
The plan’s seriousness remained unclear Friday, but sources said it was being pushed by Steve Witkoff, a top adviser to the president and special envoy to the Middle East.
News of the potential arrangement, first reported by the New York Times, comes as Trump plays political chess with the crowded field of Big Apple mayoral hopefuls to stop Democratic front-runner and unabashed socialist Zohran Mamdani from winning City Hall.
Here’s the latest on Mayor Adams’ mayoral campaign
- Mayor Adams reveals whether he’ll meet with White House to discuss his political future as rumors swirl
- Top Trump adviser floats Eric Adams for Saudi Arabia ambassadorship to thin out busy NY mayoral field, give Cuomo a shot to beat Mamdani
- Bill Ackman backs Cuomo for NYC mayor and urges Adams to step aside in stunning U-turn
- Mayor Eric Adams met with Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff to talk possible admin gig
The Adams campaign called an emergency meeting that lasted more than an hour Friday morning amid the swirling rumors about a potential appointment to Trump’s administration and speculation Hizzoner will drop out, sources said.
He also abruptly canceled a 9:30 a.m. event about an hour before it began.
Adams secretly met with Witkoff in Florida this week, The Post previously revealed.
The covert confab unfolded as it emerged that officials at the Trump administration’s highest levels were searching for a cushy gig for Adams, with an ambassadorship being floated.
Sources have said an appointment would allow Adams to gracefully drop out of the mayoral race — a move Trump has been personally pushing.
Over the weekend, the president called a top New York City GOP fundraiser and set a deadline of next week for Adams to drop out of the race to give ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo a better shot at challenging Mamdani come November.
Calls to the Adams campaign were not returned.
Whether the job talks would require Adams to immediately resign his post at City Hall remained unclear.
Even if the mayor were to suspend his campaign, his name would still appear on the ballot come November, unless he were to give up his post and move out of the Big Apple.
For his part, Adams has denied wanting a job in the Trump administration and has said he will finish his first term.
Adams, in a statement Friday amid the swirling chatter, said he’s still running for re-election — but appeared to leave the door open to consider a job offer.
“Serving New Yorkers as their mayor is the only job I’ve ever wanted,” he said. “I’m proud of the progress we’ve made lowering crime, improving schools, building housing, and cutting costs for working families — and I remain the best person to lead this city forward.
“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.”