Eric Adams Faces Democratic Backlash: Can He Survive the Political Storm?

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has done what few thought possible—he has united Democrats across the city. 

But instead of rallying behind him, they are calling for his resignation. As Adams faces mounting pressure from party leaders, political activists, and former allies, his political future looks increasingly uncertain.

Across the boroughs, Democrats who often disagree on major issues now share a common belief: Adams has little to no chance of winning the upcoming Democratic primary in June, and many argue he should step down immediately. Their frustration has intensified as resignations pile up at the United States attorney’s office in New York, raising concerns about Adams' independence from former President Donald Trump. Those concerns escalated after the Justice Department recommended that prosecutors drop a corruption case against the mayor.

The situation could soon become even more challenging for Adams. Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton, a longtime powerbroker in the city, has signaled a turning point, stating last week that New York has “clearly crossed the Rubicon.” Sharpton now plans to bring together Black leaders to discuss the city’s next steps, while former Governor Andrew Cuomo appears poised to launch a campaign against Adams, a challenge that could further undermine the mayor’s position.

Even as Adams deals with the backlash from his own party, he faces a city grappling with a surge in migrants and growing concerns over quality-of-life issues. These factors contributed to last November’s strong Republican performance in the presidential election, marking the best GOP showing in New York City in years. But despite the city's shifting political landscape, Adams finds himself politically isolated in ways no other mayor in recent history has experienced.

The controversy deepened when the interim United States attorney for the Southern District of New York resigned, citing allegations that Adams’ legal team had engaged in a quid pro quo deal in exchange for aligning with Trump’s immigration policies. Adams’ lawyer strongly denied the claim. The mayor himself appeared on Fox News, where he laughed alongside Trump’s former border czar, Tom Homan, as Homan threatened to pressure Adams into enforcing stricter immigration policies.

Amid the firestorm, Adams attempted to clarify his stance, insisting that his immigration enforcement efforts would target dangerous criminals and gang members. But the political damage was already done. On Friday, he took the unusual step of releasing a statement declaring, “I never offered—nor did anyone offer on my behalf—any trade of my authority as your mayor for an end to my case.”

US Representative Ritchie Torres, who represents the Bronx, compared the mayor’s relationship with Trump to a “Vichy Democrat allowing one of the bluest cities in America to be occupied by a far-right administration.” Torres argued that Adams has become so politically weakened that he now functions as little more than a “zombie mayor.”

Even Adams' longtime allies are expressing doubt. Former Governor David Paterson, who endorsed Adams in his 2021 campaign, acknowledged that he recently met with the mayor but admitted that many Democratic voters no longer feel comfortable supporting him. “I would certainly not be as comfortable as I was in 2021 when I voted for him,” Paterson said.

With Democrats lining up against him, growing concerns about his ties to Trump, and the possibility of an aggressive primary challenge, Adams is facing the most serious crisis of his political career. Can he weather the storm, or is his time in office coming to an end?

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