Eric Adams is an American former politician and retired police captain known for serving as the 110th mayor of New York City. He gained public attention for receiving honorary Albanian citizenship at his own request shortly after leaving office.
Quick Facts
Full Name: Eric L. Leroy Adams
Age: 65 (born September 1, 1960)
Nationality: American
Occupation: Former politician, retired police officer
Known For: Mayor of New York City (2022–2025), honorary Albanian citizenship
Marital Status: Not Confirmed
Children: Not Confirmed
Early Life and Background
Adams was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and raised in South Jamaica, Queens, as the fourth of six children by a single mother who cleaned houses. He has said that being beaten by police as a teenager inspired him to join the New York Police Department to enact change from within.
Career and Achievements
Adams joined the NYPD in 1984 and retired as a captain in 2006 after 22 years of service. In 1995, he co-founded “100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care,” an advocacy group focused on racial profiling and police brutality. He served in the New York State Senate from 2007 to 2013, then as Brooklyn Borough President from 2014 to 2022. In 2021, he was elected Mayor of New York City, taking office in January 2022. During his tenure, he prioritized crime reduction, increased subway patrols, and managed the arrival of over 200,000 immigrants to the city.
Major Event or Controversy
In September 2024, federal prosecutors indicted Adams on charges of bribery, fraud, and soliciting foreign campaign donations allegedly accepting over $100,000 in illegal gifts from Turkish nationals. The charges were dismissed in April 2025 after the Trump administration moved to drop them, though the presiding judge criticized the decision as appearing to be “a bargain” tied to immigration policy concessions. Adams subsequently left the Democratic Party and ran as an independent, but withdrew from the mayoral race in September 2025.
Why he is in the News
Adams is trending because on April 10, 2026, Albanian President Bajram Begaj granted him honorary citizenship via special decree at Adams’s own request. His spokesperson stated the citizenship “further strengthens the bond between New York and Albania,” while noting Adams has no plans to move there. The move follows Adams’s four-day trip to Albania in October 2025, where he met with Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Conclusion
Eric Adams is a former NYPD captain and one-term New York City mayor whose tenure was marked by both policy achievements and federal investigations. His recent acquisition of Albanian citizenship reflects his long-standing international interests and ties to the Albanian-American community in New York.
