The Trump administration has slashed $64 million in federal anti-terrorism funding for New York City, triggering fierce backlash from top state officials just days after a gunman killed four people in a Manhattan skyscraper. The cut, revealed in an 80-page grant notice posted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Friday, reduces the city's Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) allocation by 41% compared to last year.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the decision, calling it "irresponsible and dangerous." In a statement, he said: "Donald Trump treats NY like his personal punching bag in an attempt to settle political scores - and failing to release NY's critical anti-terrorism funds is stooping to a new low."
The funding cut comes amid heightened concerns following two fatal attacks targeting corporate executives in Manhattan within the past year. In the most recent incident, a gunman armed with an assault-style rifle killed four individuals in a high-rise that houses the NFL's headquarters and other major financial firms.
"It makes absolutely no sense, and no justification has been given to cut NY's allocation given the rise in the threat environment," a spokesperson for the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services said Monday.
FEMA's grant notice explained that allocations are based on "an analysis of relative risk of terrorism," which includes factors such as population density, visitor numbers, and proximity to international borders. However, the agency did not provide specific reasoning for the sharp decrease or respond to requests for comment.
The Department of Homeland Security, FEMA's parent agency, suggested that cities could tap into the State Homeland Security Program, though that pool of funds was also reduced for New York by 38%. According to an August 1 notice, FEMA reversed a July pledge not to reduce that portion of funding.
In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, New York Governor Kathy Hochul questioned why FEMA delayed announcing city-specific allocations this year and referenced the recent Manhattan shooting to underscore the need for sustained security support.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said she would raise the issue directly with Noem, stating the agency may be "risking New Yorkers' safety as a political power move."
The New York Police Department has historically used UASI funds to finance the Domain Awareness System-a network of surveillance cameras, license plate readers, and radiation detectors deployed throughout the city. In past years, the program has been credited with enhancing counterterrorism capabilities in a region still haunted by the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Other cities also saw cuts under the revised FEMA allocation. Washington, D.C. experienced a 44% reduction, the steepest of any urban area, while San Francisco and Los Angeles faced smaller but significant declines. The administration is also requiring states to allocate portions of federal security grants toward migrant arrests, further stretching limited resources.
Mayor Eric Adams' office said New York remains "committed to securing every federal dollar that New Yorkers deserve." His spokesperson Liz Garcia noted that the city often spends the funding across several years and recently tapped into its 2020 allocation.
