Plus: Adams Addresses Crime, Immigration, Antisemitism, His Criminal Indictment, and Trump

🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

Mo News One-On-One With NYC Mayor: His Election Comeback Plan As Mamdani Surges & Cuomo Lingers

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is currently trailing in polls ahead of the November mayoral race — polling in fourth place behind Democrat Zohran Mamdani, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa — but he says the race has only just started.

“We haven’t even started campaigning,” Adams, 64, told Mo News, vowing to run on the achievements of his administration since he came into office in 2022. “We have the greatest record that has never been read about in the history of this city.”

Adams said he’s focused on spreading his message about his administration’s wins — including on the economy and public safety — and registering 1 million new voters. One of the major achievements he touted is that violent crime numbers continue to drop, and the NYC homicide rate so far in 2025 is at the lowest in recorded history.

Ahead of what is expected to be one of the most prominent elections this fall, Mo News is planning to speak with all the major candidates in the New York City mayoral race. New York City has a population of at least 8.2 million people, meaning the city has a bigger population than that of 38 states and the city’s mayor governs more people than most of the country’s governors. We are currently awaiting responses from the Cuomo, Mamdani and Sliwa campaigns.

BY THE NUMBERS
As of Wednesday, Mamdani — the 33-year-old Democratic Socialist who is running on promises of free childcare, free buses, city-run grocery stores, rent freezes, and a sweeping social justice and tax agenda — is leading the race with 35% support among registered voters. Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani but is looking at an independent run, sits at 25%. Republican Curtis Sliwa has 14%, while Adams trails with 11%, according to the Slingshot Strategies poll.

Several polls show a majority of New Yorkers also have an unfavorable view of the mayor.
His plan to mobilize: Adams aims to register 1 million new voters and mobilize supermarket owners, landlords, and public housing residents who he believes will be hurt by Mamdani’s “unrealistic” socialist policies.

ON HIS OPPONENTS
A Mamdani victory is all but guaranteed if both Adams and Cuomo remain in the race and split the centrist vote. Adams had some blunt words in this interview for Cuomo.

“He created the scenario where he and I are potentially splitting the vote. This is a creation of Andrew Cuomo because he wanted to do to me what he did to other Black (elected officials),” Adams said, referencing past campaigns Cuomo has run against other Black candidates.
- According to Adams, Black leaders have long believed Cuomo’s unsuccessful bid for the governorship in 2002 kept Carl McCall, a Black former New York State comptroller, out of the governor’s mansion. Cuomo has also been accused of pressuring New York’s first Black governor David Paterson not to seek re-election and allegedly sabotaging Keith Wright’s bid to become the first Black Assembly Speaker.
  - “He tried to sabotage my ability to run for re-election and it's not going to work. He needs to get out of the race,” Adams said, noting that Cuomo ran a lackluster primary campaign spring and lost by double digits. Adams skipped the primary due to his own lackluster support among Democrats, and federal indictment (more on that below).
    - Adams is trailing Mamdani (35%) and Cuomo (32%) among Black voters, only getting about 14% of Black registered voters’ support.

Adams also took aim at Mamdani, saying he will promise anything to get elected.

“He studied struggle — I lived it. He studied poverty — I survived it. He had a silver spoon — I had a wooden one, and I was lucky if it had food on it. I know what real New Yorkers face,” Adams said of Mamdani, who grew up with affluent parents, noting that he understands the limits of a mayor’s powers when it comes to the budget — and all the “free” things Mamdani has promised.
- “I can’t change the price of bread, but I’ve put bread back in people’s pockets. He’s saying whatever he can to get elected. He can’t deliver.”

Adams raised questions about Mamdani’s statements and policies toward Israel.

“I don’t know his fixation with Israel,” Adams said of Mamdani, who has pledged to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city on the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister over the Gaza war.
- Adams said the NYPD cannot arrest Netanyahu. (The US is also not a member of the ICC.)
“He said, ‘I don’t dislike Jewish people, I just dislike Israel.’ Jewish people live in Israel,” Adams went on, pointing to a 2015 parody music video Mamdani made about Hanukkah (which he also did for Christmas).

ON THE INDICTMENT
In September, Adams became the first sitting New York City mayor to be indicted. He faced five counts in connection with a federal corruption investigation tied to the Turkish government, which were dropped by the Trump Justice Department in February. After the indictment, Adams’ favorability slid with voters and his chances of re-election became significantly slimmer.

The mayor said the case was politically motivated and that the charges amounted to “lawfare.” Adams insists he never struck a deal with Trump, despite their cooperation on immigration enforcement.

Bottom line: Winning re-election will be a massive uphill climb for Adams, but he says the race for New York City mayor is far from over. We’ll be watching.

Listen to the full interview with Mayor Eric Adams on the Mo News Podcast — available on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. Adams also discussed his origin story — including how getting beaten up by a police officer as a teen led him to join the NYPD — and played a round of rapid-fire questions on what he loves most about New York. (His favorite restaurant? Hint: it’s in Harlem.)

⏳ THE SPEED READ

🚨NATION

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Judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship ban after new class action suit (MO NEWS)
Trump praises English of the leader of Liberia — where English is the official language (MO NEWS)
Construction workers reach safety after Los Angeles industrial tunnel partially collapses (FOX)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

Hamas agrees to release 10 hostages as part of Gaza ceasefire talks (NBC)
Seafarers from cargo ship attacked by Houthis in the Red Sea rescued after 48 hours in water (GUARDIAN)
Ukrainian intelligence officer shot dead in Kyiv (BBC)
UK and France agree to send some migrants arriving in Britain by boat back to France (AP)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

Nutella Frosted Flakes? Ferrero Group buying Kellogg for $3.1 billion (MO NEWS)
Trump announces 50% Tariff On Brazilian imports, citing "Witch Hunt" trial against Bolsonaro (MO NEWS)
UN says if US funding for HIV programs is not replaced, millions more will die by 2029 (AP)
Musk says Tesla is expanding Austin robotaxi service, adding Grok to cars (CNBC)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Former Superman Dean Cain complains about 'woke' Hollywood making character too pro-immigration (ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY)
American tennis star Amanda Anisimova upsets world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka to advance to Wimbledon final (FOX)
Sean Combs trial judge asks attorneys for sentencing information (ABC)
Former ‘Love Island USA’ contestant Cierra Ortega apologizes for using racial slur (AP)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… It’s Moo Deng’s birthday. The viral pygmy hippo at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand became a global superstar last year for her pink cheeks and playful personality. Or as the Guardian put it, “a slippery, chaotic and yes, bouncy beast shaped like a large potato, with a rolling eye, frequently open mouth and seemingly strong opinions.”

To celebrate, the zoo has planned 4 days of celebrations, complete with a massive 44-pound fruit and vegetable “birthday cake.”

The zoo’s director says attendance has quadrupled since Moo Deng was born with people traveling from all over the world to see the Internet sensation. One woman from New York on hand for Moo Deng’s big day said she’s flown to Thailand three times in the last year to see her!

We wonder if Moo Deng is feeling like Bowen Yang’s Chappell-Roan-inspired skit.