2:54 NYC Mayor Eric Adams addresses ABC News, Aug. 26, 2025. ABC News
Though President Donald Trump declares that Gotham’s crime is surging, Mayor Eric Adams told ABC News on Tuesday that the city sees no need for extra National Guard forces to maintain security.
The mayor—seeking re-election—touched on City Hall’s partnership with Washington, commented on the newest controversies swirling around his team, and addressed the surge of Democratic mayoral hopeful State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani.
Adams rebuffs call for federal troops in NYC
With federalized service members still on patrol in Los Angeles and authorities aiming to seize control of policing in the nation’s capital, Adams pushed back on Trump’s hint that soldiers could be required in the five boroughs.
Guardsmen staff a security checkpoint at Penn Station in New York, March 7, 2024. Michael Nagle/Xinhua via Getty Images
“Deploying federal troops in New York—I see absolutely no need for it. We’re handling this exceptionally well,” Adams stated.
The remarks land as governors like Illinois’ JB Pritzker and Maryland’s Wes Moore adopt firmer lines against the president’s vow to federalize the Guard.
Adams—whose cooperation with the Trump administration helped ward off federal charges earlier this year—distanced himself from the governors’ resistance, stressing that his priority is public safety.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams speaks with ABC News, Aug. 26, 2025. ABC News
New Yorkers have already observed soldiers after Gov. Kathy Hochul dispatched troops to the subways last year.
Asked what he’d do if the president tried to order additional deployments or assume control, Adams refused to opine on the matter of presidential authority.
“Whether he technically has that power, we’ll leave that to the attorneys. My goal is to protect the city, and that is precisely what we are doing,” he remarked.
The mayor underscored that NYPD already works alongside federal partners every day. In a Monday meeting, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi that sending the Guard onto New York streets would be pointless.
Adams said he has not yet talked to the president directly about troop deployment, though other officials in his administration have been in touch with the White House.
“We know what missions are required here and we’ll keep performing them. Let me be clear: we sync up with federal authorities every single morning,” Adams stated.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams speaks to ABC News, Aug. 26, 2025. ABC News
Adams tells New Yorkers: ‘I apologize’
Adams’ administration has been dogged by a succession of scandals for nearly two years and the fallout continues to cloud the final stretch of his first term and weigh on his re-election prospects.
Last week, several of the mayor’s closest aides found themselves in deeper legal jeopardy.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, once the mayor’s top adviser and a volunteer on his re-election effort, was charged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on four counts of conspiracy.
Prosecutors say she accepted over $75,000 in bribes while serving as Adams’ top counselor. They further accuse Lewis-Martin and Jesse Hamilton, deputy commissioner for real-estate services, of speeding up development approvals in exchange for home improvements.
Both Lewis-Martin and Hamilton have pleaded not guilty. Hamilton resigned from his post after charges were filed.
Adams has not been implicated, yet amid a parade of resignations and multiple indictments, the mayor offered an apology to residents.
In a Jan. 2, 2024 file photo, Mayor Eric Adams departs a media availability alongside Ingrid Lewis-Martin at City Hall. Barry Williams for NY Daily News via Getty Images, FILE
“To my fellow New Yorkers who open their paper and see these headlines—my message is: I’m sorry, and I remain devoted to this city,” Adams said.
Mayor distances himself from alleged chip-bag bribery involving ex-aide
The newest Adams-team controversy surfaced last week when former aide and campaign worker Winnie Greco met The City reporter Katie Honan and allegedly slipped her a bag of potato chips containing an envelope of cash, according to Honan.
Greco and her lawyer maintain the moment was an honest mistake. No charges have been filed against Greco.
Adams reiterated that Greco is no longer part of the campaign and was not privy to the discussion or the hand-off.
“I have no firsthand knowledge of the incident. Whatever occurred, it’s not a course of action I support. It sends the wrong message,” he remarked.
Adams noted his campaign relies on 800 volunteers.
“Background checks aren’t conducted for every volunteer,” he added.
Mayor shrugs off upheaval amid probes
Adams became the first sitting NYC mayor to be criminally charged last autumn after prosecutors alleged he accepted plush flights and hotel rooms from Turkish tycoons and officials over ten years.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams speaks with ABC News, Aug. 26, 2025. ABC News
Although legal troubles linger for some aides, the case against Adams was dropped early this year under orders from senior Justice Department leadership. The DOJ said the move was unrelated to the merits; instead, the indictment “unduly constrained Mayor Adams’ ability to devote full resources to illegal immigration and violent crime.”
“Without that Trump DOJ dismissal, you’d probably be on trial right now. How will you persuade New Yorkers that in a second term you’ll represent their interests, not the president’s?” ABC News’ Aaron Katersky asked.
“The case was dismissed with prejudice. That means it cannot be revived—and that means something to every New Yorker,” Adams replied.
Five months since the charges were shelved, Adams still argues they were politically driven, pinned on him because of his “determination to fight for the city.”
“I spent my whole career in law enforcement—I did not spend it to break the law. I have never violated the law or the public’s trust,” he insisted.
Adams rejected the idea that the federal probe should tarnish his leadership, maintaining that “many administrations have endured scandals.”
“When you stay focused on delivering for New Yorkers, mistakes happen and sometimes people we brought into government weren’t a good fit—but we keep moving forward,” he summed up.
Mayor blasts Mamdani’s agenda
Adams weighed in on Mamdani, who clinched a surprise victory over ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in June’s Democratic mayoral primary and now leads in general-election polling.
The Queens lawmaker will square off against Adams and Cuomo—both running on independent lines—and Republican standard-bearer Curtis Sliwa.
NY mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani visits a campaign event in Prospect Park, August 17, 2025. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Throughout his campaign, Mamdani has spotlighted the Adams administration’s scandals and blasted policies he says ignore pocketbook priorities like affordability.
Adams counter-attacked Mamdani’s embrace of Democratic-socialist proposals, claiming they would undermine public safety.
“Your manifesto does not believe in the family unit; you reject mom-and-dad child-rearing,” the mayor charged. “We’ve come too far to let such policies drag us backwards.”
He added that Mamdani’s June tally—about 573,169 votes per the city Board of Elections—did not capture independents or Republicans who will vote in November.
Adams garnered 404,513 primary ballots in the 2021 Democratic contest and 753,801 in the subsequent general election, according to official tallies.
Adams noncommittal on potential Trump endorsement
Trump has attacked Mamdani since the primary and hinted at an intervention. In past statements, the president has defended Adams, even branding the indictment political persecution.
President Donald Trump displays an illustration of Meta’s new data center during a cabinet meeting in the White House Cabinet Room, Aug. 26, 2025. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
When asked if he’d welcome the president’s support, Adams deflected.
“The real voice for me is the New York voter,” he offered.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
