Former NYC Mayor Eric Adams Becomes Albanian Citizen

Former NYC Mayor Eric Adams. Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA / CC BY 2.0

Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams has go a national of Albania by a peculiar statesmanlike decree, adding an unexpected milestone to his post-political life.

Albanian President Bajram Begaj signed the decree astatine Adams’ ain request. Albanian media reported the improvement first. Spokesman Todd Shapiro confirmed that Eric Adams received Albanian citizenship voluntarily, describing him arsenic a longstanding person of the Albanian-American community.

Shapiro besides said the grant reflects a narration built connected communal respect and that it deepens the ties betwixt New York City and Albania.

The roots of that narration spell backmost to Adams’ clip successful office. He organized 3 flag-raising ceremonies for Albania astatine City Hall and hosted a solemnisation of Albanian civilization astatine Gracie Mansion.

Adams regularly noted that New York is location to astir 40,000 Albanian residents, which helium called the largest Albanian expatriate assemblage anyplace successful the world. He often described New York arsenic the American mentation of Albania, a examination helium extended to different cities, including Athens, Kyiv, Seoul, and Istanbul.

How Eric Adams became a national of Albania

The transportation besides involves his family. His son, Jordan Coleman, competed connected Albania’s equivalent of American Idol successful 2022.

Adams recalled his lad calling him from the state and saying helium loved it truthful overmuch helium was not definite helium wanted to travel back. The son, Adams said, repeatedly encouraged him to alert the Albanian flag.

Honored to judge honorary Albanian citizenship, not conscionable arsenic a idiosyncratic distinction, but arsenic a reflection of the heavy and lasting enslaved betwixt New York City and the Albanian people.

NYC is location to 1 of the strongest Albanian communities successful America, hardworking, proud, and… pic.twitter.com/cDiHABY9ke

— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) April 10, 2026

After withdrawing from the mayoral race, Adams traveled to Albania successful October and met with Prime Minister Edi Rama and furniture officials to sermon concern and tourism. The Albanian authorities covered portion of the trip’s cost. Adams described the sojourn arsenic an effort to physique a lasting relationship crossed borders.

What helium plans to bash with the citizenship remains unclear. In earlier years, helium spoke astir retiring successful Baku and successful the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Personal ties, an October visit, and unanswered questions

His planetary question had already drawn ineligible scrutiny. Federal prosecutors accused him of accepting escaped flights, luxury edifice stays, and amerciable run donations linked to Turkish nationals. Adams denied each charges.

The lawsuit was dropped by President Donald Trump’s Justice Department nether circumstances that drew nationalist attention. Afterward, Adams held discussions with Trump medication officials regarding a imaginable ambassadorship, but nary assignment was made.

Since leaving office, Adams has visited Dubai and the Democratic Republic of Congo and has mentioned a concern travel to Senegal. Earlier this year, helium released a cryptocurrency coin helium said was aimed astatine countering antisemitism and anti-Americanism. Its worth fell sharply not agelong aft launch.