Mayor of New York City.
Under Adams's tenure the city council approved the "City of Yes" amendments to zoning laws in December 2025, making it easier to convert offices into housing, loosening parking requirements for some new developments and allowing taller buildings in less dense areas near public transport. In 2025, 34,000 new apartments were built in the city, the highest number in 60 years, though developers were chasing an expiring tax relief.
In April 2025 Trump agreed to drop the federal case against Adams in exchange for help on illegal immigration. Whatever credibility Adams retained after criminal charges evaporated with the deal. He hung on in the mayoral race until September 2025, complicating the path for Andrew Cuomo and other centrist challengers to Zohran Mamdani. His bequest to Mamdani was underappreciated: pupils' reading scores were rising, crime was low, residents were "containerising" their garbage to vanquish rats, and a far-reaching zoning plan was in place to speed construction of homes.
"There's only one way to have a happy marriage and as soon as I learn what it is I'll get married again."