New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced he will seek the Democratic nomination for US President, adding his name to a long list of candidates itching for a chance to take on Donald Trump.
The mayor announced his run on Thursday via video message.
"There's plenty of money in this world. There's plenty of money in this country. It's just in the wrong hands," de Blasio said.
"It's time we put working people first."
In announcing his candidacy, de Blasio seeks to claim a role on the national stage that has eluded him as mayor of the biggest US city.
When he took office in 2014, de Blasio seemed briefly poised to become a leading voice for an emerging left wing of the Democratic Party.
But liberal enthusiasm faded over his first term, partly because of political missteps at home and the emergence of bigger names elsewhere. He could face obstacles trying to distinguish himself in a crowded field.
De Blasio, 58, has drawn small audiences so far in visits to early primary states including Iowa, South Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire.
A recent Quinnipiac University poll found 76 per cent of New York City voters say they believe he shouldn't run.
De Blasio, though, has remained undaunted by the obstacles and said he believes he has a message that can resonate with the American public.
Political observers said that even if de Blasio's candidacy doesn't catch fire, he'll be able to promote his policies and angle for a job in a future administration.
He is barred by term limits from running for mayor in NYC again.
On the campaign trail, de Blasio will be able to cite accomplishments like expanding full-day pre-kindergarten and curtailing police tactics that critics said were discriminatory, while presiding over continued drops in violent crime.
His central message remains fighting income inequality.
Born in New York City, de Blasio grew up in the Boston area and has provoked New York sports fans by rooting ardently for the Boston Red Sox. He graduated from New York University and earned a master's degree from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.
De Blasio met his wife, Chirlane McCray, when they both worked for Democratic Mayor David Dinkins. They married in 1994 and have two children.
With his candidacy, de Blasio becomes the latest in a line of New York City mayors who have run for president. None has ever won.
Australian Associated Press