{"id":74310,"date":"2025-12-18T12:14:06","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T12:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/74310\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T12:14:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T12:14:06","slug":"at-the-end-of-his-lone-term-as-nyc-mayor-how-will-he-be-remembered-amnewyork","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/74310\/","title":{"rendered":"At the end of his lone term as NYC mayor, how will he be remembered? \u2013 amNewYork"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mayor Eric Adams returned to a place that has long anchored his personal and political story as his time at City Hall draws to a close: the 103rd Precinct<\/a> in Jamaica, Queens.<\/p>\n

During the final days of his administration, Adams sat down with amNewYork at the precinct was where he held one of his first press conferences as mayor in 2022<\/a> \u2014 and decades earlier, where he experienced a traumatic encounter with police that he has often cited as formative.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really want New Yorkers to use my journey as a symbol,\u201d Adams said, describing his decision to return to the precinct. \u201cEven in the darkest moments of your life, it\u2019s about how you turn pain into purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adams recalled that the incident at the 103rd Precinct pushed him toward activism and eventually a career in law enforcement, rather than bitterness. \u201cSometimes we don\u2019t realize the darkest moments of your life are not a burial, but it\u2019s a planting,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

While looking back at his four years as mayor of America\u2019s largest city, Adams sought to frame how he believes his tenure should be remembered. He also offered words of advice (and warning) to his successor, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe should think them through before he actually makes these major changes. They may sound good because the advocates are calling for it, but when it comes down to where the rubber meets the road, it can endanger the lives of individuals,\u201d he said, predicting that \u201csome of the things he ran on, he\u2019s going to adjust when he gets in the seat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adams\u2019 top priority<\/p>\n

That framing reflects the throughline Adams has emphasized since his 2021 campaign: a former police officer and a victim of police violence who believed he was uniquely positioned to restore order without abandoning reform.<\/p>\n

He said he made it clear to each of his four police commissioners that public safety was his top priority and that he would be \u201cvery much involved\u201d in aligning the NYPD with that expectation. He described his current Police Commissioner, Jessica Tisch,<\/a> as \u201ca smart police administrator\u201d and understands why incoming Mayor Mamdani opted to keep her in the role.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHis relationship [with her] may be different than mine,\u201d Adams said, adding that he doesn\u2019t \u201cknow if the next mayor is going to be that much engaged\u201d in public safety.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Lloyd Mitchell<\/p>\n

Mayor-elect Mamdani, for his part, has ambitious plans for policing, including the creation of a Department of Community Safety to coordinate prevention and outreach programs. The new civilian agency is aimed at \u201cpreventing violence before it happens\u201d with a proposed budget of $1.1 billion.<\/p>\n

Adams is not sold: \u201cThere are many great quotes from me. One of the quotes that I think is the best is that idealism collides with realism. When you\u2019re the mayor of the city of New York, it\u2019s different from when you run to be the mayor.\u201d<\/p>\n

While crime statistics point to improved public safety during Adams\u2019 tenure, his record on policing has been shadowed by a series of lawsuits from former members of the force, alleging that the NYPD operated under a culture of cronyism, bribery, and retaliation against whistleblowers.<\/p>\n

In July 2025, five former high-ranking NYPD officials \u2014 including former interim Commissioner Thomas Donlon<\/a> and four former chiefs \u2014 filed separate federal lawsuits claiming that Adams and his allies ran the department as a \u201cracketeering enterprise,\u201d bypassing established promotion procedures and retaliating against officers who raised concerns about misconduct.<\/p>\n

Adams has vehemently denied the allegations.\n<\/p>\n

Asked about the most testing times as mayor, Adams pointed to the migrant crisis, saying the city spent more than $8 billion responding to asylum seekers\u2014costs he said were never factored into the city\u2019s original budget planning. The unexpected spending, he said, required the administration to shift and scale back some of its ambitions, even as it continued to fund what he described as core priorities, including public safety, youth employment, education programs, and services for children.<\/p>\n

Adams noted that while New York\u2019s $115 billion budget appears vast, only a fraction of it is discretionary, which limits the city\u2019s flexibility once the crisis takes hold.\n<\/p>\n

Not a fan of Mamdani<\/p>\n

One thing Adams will not do for certain is be a waiter when Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani sits down at the table of success<\/a> come Jan. 1.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Adams stressed to this paper that his interactions with Mamdani since the election have been cordial and professional, even as he made clear that his disagreements with the incoming mayor are deeply ideological. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t dislike the incoming mayor,\u201d Adams said. \u201cI dislike his policies and his supporters, the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). I think their policies are dangerous. They\u2019re harmful to our city, and they will take our city backward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, Adams pushed back forcefully against suggestions that he had delayed the transition or sought to undermine his successor with several executive orders<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He said his administration remained in constant communication with Mamdani\u2019s team and assembled extensive transition materials to ensure continuity. \u201cI\u2019m here. I\u2019m not going anywhere until December 31,\u201d Adams said, adding that he wanted the incoming mayor to be able to \u201chit the ground running.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hizzoner has openly opposed Mamdani\u2019s plan to freeze rents on rent-stabilized apartments and has not ruled out appointing additional members to the Rent Guidelines Board before leaving office, a move that could influence rent decisions well into the next administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t believe in freezing rents without doing an analysis\u2026 I\u2019m going to appoint people who I believe understand that,\u201d he said.\u00a0
\n\"\"Photo by Lloyd Mitchell\n<\/p>\n

Adams has also issued executive orders and made appointments that appear to lock in policies at odds with Mamdani\u2019s platform. In December, he signed an order barring city agencies from engaging in contracting practices that could be construed as boycotts of Israel, despite Mamdani\u2019s public support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. His administration also moved to designate Elizabeth Street Garden as protected parkland, limiting Mamdani\u2019s ability to pursue affordable housing development at the site.<\/p>\n

In education policy, Adams appointed former Republican councilmember Joe Borelli to the city\u2019s Panel for Educational Policy, a body that plays a central role in overseeing public schools. He also tapped a pro-police ally as the new head of the NYPD\u2019s independent oversight board earlier this month.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The appointments, which extend into Mamdani\u2019s term, were widely interpreted as another effort to shape policy beyond Adams\u2019 tenure.\n<\/p>\n

Adams defended those late-term appointments and decisions as part of his obligation to govern through the end of his term, not an effort to constrain the next administration. While acknowledging criticism, he said mayors have long exercised that authority to protect their policy priorities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile you\u2019re the mayor, you still have the power to make appointments that will protect your legacy and continue your legacy,\u201d he said, calling claims that he was trying to block Mamdani \u201casinine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re utilizing our authority to put people on boards, and other positions that\u2019re going to fulfill what I have to do until I\u2019m no longer the mayor,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Adams also addressed questions about whether he would attend Mamdani\u2019s inauguration, saying he was wary of his presence becoming a distraction. He said he wanted the moment to remain celebratory and historically intact, expressing concern that some of Mamdani\u2019s supporters might attempt to turn the event into a protest. Adams said he would prefer to speak directly with Mamdani before making a final decision, framing it as a matter of symbolism and respect for a smooth transfer of power.<\/p>\n

\u2018I did nothing wrong\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

The outgoing mayor spent much of the interview addressing his exoneration from serious allegations of corruption that he had repeatedly denied, but which had effectively derailed his reelection bid. Those included the September 2024 federal charges accusing him of bribery, wire fraud, and illegal campaign contributions, a case Adams has described as politically motivated from its inception.<\/p>\n

The charges were ultimately dismissed by federal Judge Dale Ho in April <\/a>with prejudice, barring the Justice Department from reviving the case. While President Donald Trump\u2019s Justice Department initially sought a dismissal without prejudice, which would have allowed prosecutors to refile the charges at a later date,\u00a0 the court rejected that approach. The judge cited concerns that leaving the case unresolved could create the perception that the federal government was wielding the threat of renewed prosecution as leverage over the sitting mayor.<\/p>\n

In his exit interview, Adams pointed to that concern directly, arguing that the case itself reflected a broader politicization of the Justice Department. He urged New Yorkers to scrutinize the charges themselves. <\/p>\n

\u201cPeople should read the indictment,\u201d Adams said, calling the case an attempt to frame routine conduct as criminal. He also noted that President Biden had acknowledged problems within the Justice Department when pardoning his son, saying the agency had become \u201ctoo political.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Still, Judge Ho\u2019s ruling fueled widespread speculation that Adams\u2019 legal troubles were entangled with federal immigration policy, particularly allegations that his cooperation with the Trump administration\u2019s immigration crackdown had been exchanged for leniency.<\/p>\n

That speculation intensified in the weeks leading up to the case\u2019s dismissal. On Feb. 13, Manhattan\u2019s top federal prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon<\/a>, and five other senior Justice Department officials resigned. Sassoon said she had refused an order to drop the corruption case against Adams.<\/p>\n

On Feb. 14, Adams appeared on Fox News alongside Trump\u2019s \u201cborder czar,\u201d Tom Homan<\/a>, saying they had discussed embedding more NYPD officers in federal task forces and developing a plan to allow federal immigration authorities to operate on Rikers Island<\/a> \u2014 a significant departure from the city\u2019s longstanding sanctuary policies. The proposal to grant ICE access to the jail complex was later blocked by the New York Supreme Court.<\/p>\n

Adams forcefully rejected any suggestion of a quid pro quo. He said there was \u201cnothing wrong\u201d with his interactions with federal officials and denied trading policy decisions for personal legal relief. <\/p>\n

\u201cI did nothing wrong,\u201d Adams said, adding that his positions on immigration and public safety long predated the indictment and were based, he said, solely on what he believed was in the best interests of New Yorkers.<\/p>\n

When asked whether he would support the release of all files related to the case to clear his name, Adams said he believed the dismissal itself had already done so, arguing that the judicial process, including the decision to dismiss the case with prejudice, followed long-standing legal norms and required no further disclosure to validate his innocence.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Lloyd Mitchell<\/p>\n

Regarding his relationship with President Trump, he stated that it was consistent with how he treated President Biden. However, he credited POTUS for publicly criticizing the federal case against him while campaigning, not while in office.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe president \u2014 while campaigning, not while he was president \u2014 said this is wrong, what they\u2019re doing to Mayor Adams in New York,\u201d he said. \u201cWithout knowing if he was going to win or not, he made it clear that it was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

He noted he traveled to Washington roughly 10 times to advocate for New York in the midst of the city\u2019s migrant crisis, and said visits to Trump were no different from those of other Democratic officials and should not be viewed as suspect.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand when Governor Hochul went to visit President Trump, it was applauded\u2026 I went to visit\u2026 and I was looked down on,\u201d Adams said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

He also credits Trump for handling border enforcement more effectively than the Biden administration, arguing that securing the border reduced the flow of asylum seekers into New York and eased the financial strain of the crisis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cShould we go after those broken people who are just trying to provide for themselves? No, I don\u2019t support that,\u201d he said, drawing a line on the increased federal immigration enforcement efforts that have seen people with no criminal records detained and deported.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBut should we go after those who are committing a crime\u2026 and after they are convicted and serve time, have them deported? Yes, I support that,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the interview, Adams also addressed the ongoing investigation by the city Department of Investigation, which is examining whether he violated ethics laws. He emphasized that he had \u201cdone nothing wrong\u201d and framed the probe as part of a broader pattern of politicization against him. <\/p>\n

Only time will tell<\/p>\n

Days after the sit-down interview, Adams convened a final press conference with his senior leadership team in City Hall\u2019s Rotunda, not to announce new policies, but to place a symbolic capstone on his administration: a time capsule.<\/p>\n

One by one, commissioners and deputy mayors described their work and placed objects inside, intended to serve as a record for future New Yorkers.\n<\/p>\n

A key, a tassel, a padlock, a drone fragment, a baby onesie, a miniature ferry, and a trash can were placed into the capsule by outgoing Adams administration officials, each meant to symbolize a pillar the mayor has spent four years elevating: public safety through technology and enforcement; housing production through rezonings and the \u201cCity of Yes\u201d agenda; affordability through labor contracts, tax relief, childcare expansion, and debt forgiveness; quality-of-life initiatives such as containerized trash and the closure of illegal cannabis shops; and the city\u2019s humanitarian response to the migrant crisis, represented by an ID card from the Roosevelt Hotel, once the nerve center of New York\u2019s asylum-seeker operations.<\/p>\n

As the ceremony stretched on, Adams returned again and again to the idea that history, like the time capsule itself, is shaped by what is chosen to be preserved.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Ed Reed\/Mayoral Photography Office.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to take the totality and the full scope of the person,\u201d he said, rejecting what he called selective narratives about his tenure. Asked recently about the difference between Eric Adams, the mayor, and Eric Adams the individual, he said there was none. \u201cUnfiltered. Perfectly imperfect. I am just Eric.\u201d<\/p>\n

He used the final press conference, but like his interviews, to frame his mayoralty less as a political chapter than as an extension of a personal journey \u2014 from a dyslexic child raised by a mother who \u201cnever gave up,\u201d to a mayor who insists that setbacks are not endings but inflection points. \u201cA bend in the road is not the end of the road,\u201d Adams said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHistory is not selectively picking out one piece that fits into your narrative,\u201d he said. \u201cHistory is showing the totality of what an individual does. And that\u2019s what this time capsule is about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sealed beneath City Hall, the capsule will remain closed for another decade. By then, the city will be under different leadership, shaped by different priorities. But Adams is betting that when future New Yorkers look back, they will see more than controversy or conflict.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m ready,\u201d he said. \u201cI did what I had to do. And I\u2019m leaving back a proud record for all of us New Yorkers.\u201d<\/p>\n