Hochul, Mamdani press Trump for $87M he promised on Truth Social but feds say NY has unspent aide
Gov.Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday complained President Donald Trump has failed to fulfill an 11-month-old promise to restore millions in federal funding to New York’s homeland security operations.Trump said on Truth Social last year he had reversed cuts that took New York’s federal counterterrorism budget from $287 million down to $30 million, but Hochul said Tuesday New York was still $87 million short.
“Shame on you for withholding this money, not delivering it to me right now, 10 days before we honor those lives that were lost on 9/11,” Hochul said during a news conference at her Midtown office.“Let me translate that in real simple terms: Donald Trump is defunding the police.”The money supports counterterrorism efforts including cybersecurity operations, K-9 teams, bomb squads and the National Guard, according to Terrence O’Leary, commissioner of the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.“Terror is an international issue.
It is something where the threat can originate anywhere,” O’Leary said.“However, it is crystal clear that responders are here in New York.”A spokesperson for FEMA said New York has not spent all of the federal money already allocated to New York for homeland security operations.“Governor Hochul is manufacturing a funding crisis despite New York sitting on more than $300 million in UNSPENT federal homeland security funding,” the spokesperson said.
O’Leary even pointed to major events held in New York this summer, saying they were able to proceed safely.“Our first responders did the work and made sure that everyone could enjoy it,” O’Leary said.“The federal portion of that was funding.
Their funding is key for first responders here in New York state.”Mamdani, standing alongside Hochul, still claimed the remaining money is desperately needed for emergency preparedness.“We are talking about the money needed to fully fund 12 bomb squads across New York,” Mamdani s...