Trump administration reverses homeland security funding cuts targeting New York

Washington, Oct 4 (IANS) US President Donald Trump said Friday that he had reversed $187 million of cuts his administration attempted to make to homeland security and counterterrorism funding for New York City and the state.

"I am pleased to advise that I reversed the cuts made to Homeland Security and Counterterrorism for New York City and State. It was my Honor to do so," Trump posted on Truth Social, without providing more explanation on why he made the decision.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul welcomed the announcement on X. From the moment US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem "tried to defund our police and counterterrorism programs, we stood up and fought back," the governor said, adding that she is glad the president heard their "call to reverse these cuts."

"That means 187 million dollars for the NYPD (New York City Police Department), FDNY (Fire Department, City of New York) & first responders across the state that keep New Yorkers safe," said the governor.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also weighed in, saying on X that "Donald Trump tried to target New York with these cuts, and we fought back and won."

Despite the reversal, New York is seeing other cuts from the federal government as the clash between the Republicans and the Democrats escalates further, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Wednesday, day one of the government shutdown, Russell Vought, the White House budget director, announced that the US Department of Transportation was freezing 18 billion dollars in federal funding for two major infrastructure projects in New York City.

Schumer replied on the same day on X, saying that Trump and Vought were threatening the Gateway Tunnel and Second Avenue Subway, considering the move as "stupid and counterproductive because they create tens of thousands of great jobs and are essential for a strong regional and national economy."

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic front-runner for mayor of New York, on Friday accused Trump of trying to harm the city's economy, noting that the consequences could be "immensely serious."

"It shows how little he thinks of the people from the city that he likes to remind us he is from," Mamdani said at a press conference held at a construction site in Manhattan. "These are the actions of one who is cruel to this city."

--IANS

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