Trump undoes $187 million cut to NY security funds after GOP outcry
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Heavily armed police officers in front of "The Trump World Tower." Photo: Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance via Getty Images.
President Trump restored $187 million of law enforcement funding to New York state on Friday, reversing a massive cut to the state's historical budget levels.
Why it matters: The cuts eliminated a staggering 86% of New York's homeland security funding, and were opposed by both Republican lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who claimed they were "politically-motivated."
What they're saying: "I am pleased to advise that I reversed the cuts made to Homeland Security and Counterterrorism for New York City and State," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
- "It was my Honor to do so," he added.
- The Homeland Security Department told Axios in an emailed statement that the initial allocation of counterterrorism funds "fully met program requirements."
- However, after consulting additional federal partners, the Federal Emergency Management Agency decided to give the state more money "to ensure it has the resources needed to counter and combat evolving threats."
Catch up quick: The administration initially denied $87 million from New York's budget in August, which is approximately 40% of the state's counterterrorism funding, according to a news release the governor's office published on Monday.
- DHS later cut an additional $102.7 million when the agency finally issued the grants to the state on Sept. 27.
- "Given that counterterrorism is fundamentally a federal mission and your agency is charged with ensuring high profile targets receive funding to protect local communities, historical sites, and financial sectors, I call upon you to be transparent with what appears to be a politically motivated effort to reduce funding for New York," Hochul wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday.
Zoom in: "From the moment these devastating cuts were announced, I made it clear that New York would not stand by while our law enforcement and counterterrorism operations were defunded," Hochul wrote in a news release on Friday.
- "I'm glad President Trump heard our call and reversed course, ensuring our state has the resources necessary to support law enforcement and keep our families safe," she said.
- Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) also celebrated the restored funds on Friday, calling the cuts "unacceptable" for posing a "direct threat to the safety of New Yorkers."
- "New York remains the number one target for terrorism, and we cannot let politics put lives at risk," he said.
Zoom out: The president has tipped his thumb on the scale in New York politics frequently since returning to office.
- Trump froze nearly $18 billion in federal funding on Wednesday, which could delay two major New York infrastructure projects and threatens jobs tied to the contracts.
- The president has also tried to kill New York City's congestion pricing policy, despite his own Transportation Department finding that the administration's rationale for doing so could face "considerable litigation risk."
- This past week, the president threatened to withhold money from NYC if Democratic nominee for mayor Zohran Mamdani won the race.
Go deeper: Trump gets heavy-handed with New York
