New York City Mayor Eric Adams has publicly addressed the Justice Department’s order to drop his corruption case, expressing hope of restoring public trust. Speaking on Tuesday, he described the ordeal as a “cruel episode” and vowed to refocus on the city’s future.
Though Adams did not mention President Donald Trump by name, he commended the Justice Department for its “honesty” and stated, “I would never put personal benefit above my solemn responsibility as your mayor.”
His remarks at City Hall came a day after acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove instructed federal prosecutors in Manhattan to dismiss the bribery charges “as soon as practicable.” In a two-page memo, Bove claimed the case was politically motivated and emphasized that the dismissal would allow Adams to concentrate on addressing illegal immigration and violent crime. However, he acknowledged that the decision was made “without assessing the strength of the evidence.”
RELATED STORIES
Elected as a centrist Democrat, Adams has recently shifted rightward, aligning with Trump on key issues and signaling openness to rolling back certain protections for undocumented migrants. Critics argue that the Justice Department’s intervention leaves Adams indebted to the Trump administration.
READ ALSO: Justice Department to dismiss federal corruption case against NYC Mayor Eric Adams
“It certainly sounds like President Trump is holding the mayor hostage,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, a longtime Adams ally. “I have supported the mayor, but he has been put in an unfair position—essentially, political blackmail.”
Several Democratic challengers echoed similar concerns. When asked whether Adams was now compromised, New York Governor Kathy Hochul responded, “I truly don’t know.”
The responsibility for carrying out the Justice Department’s directive falls to acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who was appointed to the Manhattan office just days after Trump took office. Her office has declined to comment, but prosecutors in the case previously defended the strength of their evidence, dismissing Adams’ claims of political prosecution as a distraction.
Sassoon has limited power to oppose the dismissal and can be replaced at the Justice Department’s discretion. Trump has nominated Jay Clayton, the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to permanently lead the office, pending Senate confirmation.
Under Bove’s directive, the charges against Adams could be refiled after the November mayoral election. The dismissal is conditional on Adams agreeing in writing that prosecutors retain the right to reinstate the charges at a later date—leaving a legal cloud over his administration.
“This is highly unusual,” said Arlo Devlin-Brown, former chief of public corruption at the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office. “For a charged case to be reversed without any significant new development in the evidence is extraordinary.”
Despite the lingering uncertainty, Adams struck a tone of vindication Tuesday, calling the prosecution an “unnecessary ordeal” amplified by the media.
“Who I am is not in the headlines—it’s in my history,” he said. “As I’ve stated from the outset, I never broke the law and never would.”
Federal prosecutors indicted Adams in September, alleging he accepted over $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions and luxury travel perks while serving as Brooklyn borough president. The indictment also accused Adams of pressuring the Fire Department to approve a newly constructed Turkish diplomatic building in time for a visit by Turkey’s president.
Prosecutors further claimed Adams personally directed campaign staff to solicit foreign donations, later disguising them to qualify for a city-run matching funds program. Federal law prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to U.S. election campaigns.
Adams had been scheduled to stand trial in April.
Beyond the case against the mayor, the federal investigation has ensnared several high-ranking officials in his administration. Raids and subpoenas have led to resignations among his police commissioner, schools chancellor, multiple deputy mayors, and senior advisers, including the director of Asian affairs. It remains unclear how the Justice Department’s directive will affect these ongoing inquiries.
READ ALSO: Donald Trump to consider pardoning embattled New York Mayor Eric Adams
Last week, prosecutors announced that City Hall’s chief liaison to the Muslim community would plead guilty to facilitating illegal campaign contributions for Adams’ campaign. In January, a Brooklyn real estate magnate admitted to helping channel illegal foreign donations.
