New York, New York - Manhattan's top federal prosecutor resigned on Thursday after being ordered by the Justice Department to drop corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, US media reported.

Danielle Sassoon, the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York, submitted her resignation to Attorney General Pam Bondi, The New York Times and other news outlets said.

"Moments ago, I submitted my resignation to the attorney general," Sassoon reportedly said in a brief email to her office. "It has been my greatest honor to represent the United States and to pursue justice as a prosecutor in the Southern District of New York."

Sassoon, a Republican, was named acting US attorney by President Donald Trump's administration while his nominee for the position, Jay Clayton, undergoes Senate confirmation.

Justice Judge orders Trump DOJ to appear in court over dropped Eric Adams charges

Her resignation comes three days after acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove – a former Trump lawyer – ordered Manhattan federal prosecutors to drop the corruption case against Adams, a Democrat.

"The pending prosecution has unduly restricted Mayor Adams' ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime that escalated under the policies of the prior administration," Bove said.

The first sitting New York mayor to be criminally indicted, Adams pleaded not guilty in September to charges of fraud and bribery, and rebuffed calls to step down.

Adams had asserted – without evidence – that he was being punished for his criticism of then-president Joe Biden's immigration policies.

Trump expressed solidarity with Adams last year, saying he was being prosecuted "for speaking out against open borders."