Eric Adams closed his tenure as New York City mayor with a playful send-off, reading familiar one-liners from a staff-gifted coffee mug and thanking his team on X. The farewell showcased several of his signature quips delivered with laughter. The article also previews the transition to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who will be sworn in at midnight and become the city's first Muslim mayor.
Adams' Lighthearted Farewell: Reads 'Greatest Hits' From Staff Mug on Final Day as NYC Mayor
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was defeated by socialist Zohran Mamdani, who will serve as the first Muslim mayor of New York City.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams marked his final day in office with a playful, personal farewell: he read several of his signature one-liners from a coffee mug gifted to him by his staff, smiling and laughing as he went through the sayings.
Farewell Moment
Holding the inscribed mug, Adams waved it and introduced the moment as his "greatest hits" before attempting to read several lines aloud, giggling between phrases. The quips he shared included:
'I wake up in the morning sometimes and look at myself and give myself the finger.'
'Stay focused, no distractions, and grind.'
'It's not what's in the tweet, it's what's in the streets.'
'There are two types of Americans, those who live in New York and those who wish they could.'
'Arrested, rejected, and now I'm elected.'
'I am Gandhi-like.'
'I had a shorty that lived out there.'
'Every morning I wake up and turn on my GPS, my God positioning satellite.'
In an accompanying post on X, Adams thanked his City Hall team for the parting gift and wrote, 'It’s been an honor, New York!'
NYC Mayor Eric Adams said on his final day in office that his administration delivered a "safer and more affordable city."
Context And Transition
Adams was inaugurated as New York City's 110th mayor on January 1, 2022, after serving as Brooklyn borough president and as a New York state senator. His farewell moment was lighthearted in tone and focused on the personal, memorable lines that have become associated with him.
Incoming Mayor
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is scheduled to be sworn in at midnight in a private ceremony held in a decommissioned subway station, with a second, public inaugural event later that day at City Hall. Mamdani, 34, a Ugandan-born politician and self-described democratic socialist, will be New York City's first Muslim mayor and is reportedly the first incoming mayor to take the oath using the Quran.
Some outlets' coverage of Adams' farewell also included separate reporting on the transition team and related developments. It remains unclear whether the decorated mugs from Adams' farewell will be sold to the public.
