In a dramatic reversal that’s sent ripples through New York’s law enforcement community and political circles alike, President Donald Trump on Friday restored $187 million in federal counterterrorism funding for New York City and Long Island police after a week of bipartisan outrage and legal wrangling. The move, announced on October 3, 2025, comes just days after state and city officials learned of a massive funding cut that threatened to gut core anti-terror operations across the region.
For many New Yorkers, the announcement was a sigh of relief. The funding in question supports a wide range of security measures put in place since the September 11, 2001 attacks—everything from bomb squads and K-9 units to tactical teams, intelligence analysis, and active shooter training. According to Newsday, these grants form the backbone of local counterterrorism programs, equipping police, firefighters, and public safety officials with the tools and training they need to respond to evolving threats in one of the world’s most high-profile targets.
The initial shock came earlier in the week, when state officials revealed that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) planned to slash $187 million in anti-terrorism grants. The NYPD alone stood to lose $79 million, a cut that Commissioner Jessica Tisch described as “a devastating blow to our capabilities and our efforts to protect all Americans from terrorist attacks.” Tisch added, “These federal funds are the backbone of our [counterterrorism] program, and the proposed cuts would have had a devastating impact on our capabilities.”
New York’s leaders wasted no time mobilizing. Governor Kathy Hochul, flanked by a bipartisan coalition including Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) and Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), launched a public and private campaign to reverse the cuts. Hochul called the White House directly, warning President Trump that the reductions would undermine his stated commitment to public safety. According to New York Daily News, Trump claimed he was unaware of the cuts and promised Hochul he would look into the matter.
Behind the scenes, the pressure mounted. Letters flew to the Department of Homeland Security and the White House Office of Legislative Affairs. Meanwhile, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on October 1, 2025, blocking the cuts from taking immediate effect and giving state and city officials a legal foothold. Attorneys general from nearly a dozen Democratic states, including New York’s Letitia James, joined a lawsuit in Rhode Island to challenge the funding reductions.
By Friday, the tide had turned. FEMA, the federal agency overseeing the grants, announced, “While FEMA’s initial allocation fully met program requirements, after consultation with federal partners and in recognition of our critical security partnership with New York, the agency would make the funding available.” The White House and Department of Homeland Security did not elaborate on the reasons for the initial cuts or the sudden reversal.
Governor Hochul hailed the outcome as “a victory for public safety and for every New Yorker who depends on our brave law enforcement and first responders to keep our state secure.” She added, “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.”
Senator Schumer, never one to mince words, took to social media: “Donald Trump tried to target New York with these cuts, and we fought back and won. He saw the writing on the wall: his public safety cuts were illegal, dangerous, and wrong. We’re going to keep fighting.”
Representative Garbarino, chairman of the powerful House Homeland Security Committee, credited “presidential involvement” for the reversal. “There are people at lower levels making some of these decisions that are improper,” Garbarino told Newsday. He emphasized that “everybody needs to be protected, not just Republicans or Democrats,” highlighting the nonpartisan stakes of public safety.
Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Tisch were among the most vocal critics of the proposed cuts. Tisch, standing alongside Adams at police headquarters, called the funding “the backbone of the NYPD counterterrorism program.” She warned that if the cuts had gone through, “New York City ... will absolutely be a less safe place six months from now.” Adams echoed the sentiment, saying, “These funds are crucial.”
The funding supports a host of anti-terror initiatives: bomb squad technicians, heavily armed patrols at sensitive locations, radiation detection, advanced camera systems, and intelligence analysis programs. It also pays for training in active shooter scenarios—a grim necessity in today’s world. The upcoming calendar only heightens the urgency: New York is preparing to host the 2026 soccer World Cup, a Tall Ships festival for the country’s 250th birthday, and the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Public safety experts, as cited by Newsday, stress that the city remains a top target for terrorists, making sustained investment in security infrastructure all the more critical.
The origins of the funding cut remain somewhat murky. Rep. Garbarino suggested the reductions stemmed from changes to federal grant formulas that now weigh threats from drug cartels alongside terrorism. Others, including Democratic leaders, accused the Trump administration of targeting blue states for political reasons amid a broader budget standoff. According to New York Daily News, infrastructure and transit projects in New York and other Democratic strongholds—such as $18 billion earmarked for the Second Avenue Subway extension and the Hudson River rail tunnel—remain on the chopping block.
For now, the focus is on the restored counterterrorism funds. Jackie Bray, commissioner of New York’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, said the White House “has rightly decided to reverse” cuts that would have “courted disaster and put lives at risk.” She emphasized that the restored money will go toward “training, equipment and tools for police, firefighters and public safety authorities.”
Despite the celebratory tone from state officials, the episode has left lingering questions about the stability of federal support for local law enforcement. The swift mobilization and legal action taken by New York’s leaders underscore just how vital these funds are—and how quickly they can be threatened by shifting political winds or bureaucratic decisions.
As New York gears up for a busy and high-profile year, the message from its leaders is clear: the fight to protect the city and its people is ongoing, and vigilance—both political and practical—remains the order of the day.
