Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Calls on the Trump Administration to Stop Defunding the Police and Deliver the $87 Million in Federal Counterterrorism[...]

Governor Kathy Hochul today called on President Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin to fully fund New York's counterterrorism efforts by releasing the $87 million in federal funds still owed to New York. Last year, the Trump Administration cut critical counterterrorism and homeland security funding in New York State by 86 percent, or $187 million. Governor Hochul fought this reckless cut by appealing directly to President Trump, who promised to fully restore New York State's funding. After nearly one year of waiting, New York State is still owed $87 million to support intelligence operations, transit hub security, and equipment, training, and preparedness for sheriffs and police departments across the state.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Good morning. I'm proud to stand here with the Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, as well as my Commissioner of Homeland Security, Terence O'Leary, and representatives from law enforcement.

Ten days away from the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the worst attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor, the horrors are still vivid for the families who lost loved ones that morning, and for the families who are still losing loved ones due to 9/11 illnesses all these years later, and for the courageous first responders still haunted by the images and the aftermath of that day. And yet today, after a quarter century of successfully thwarting other attacks on our homeland, our brave police and firefighters learn that the Trump administration is abandoning them. That's right. Donald Trump withholding funding intended to keep New Yorkers safe from another terrorism attack, and that's exactly why we're standing here together today, to stand up and fight back against the unprecedented, reckless and dangerous decisions being made in Washington.

The Department of Homeland Security, the agency created in response to 9/11, is withholding 40 percent of New York State's counterterrorism funding. Yes, 40 percent. That's from New York State, the number one terror target in the nation, a place where, just recently, a terror plot against our state capital was uncovered. That 40 percent adds up to $87 million. That's $87 million they owe us.

Let me translate that in real simple terms: Donald Trump is defunding the police. Defunding the NYPD intelligence analysts who foil the attacks. Defunding the brave members of FDNY who run into the fire while the rest of us are running out. Defunding the National Guard, the units who protect the major transit hubs. Defunding bomb squads. Defunding police departments and sheriff's offices from Long Island to Westchester to Buffalo.

In New York City alone, over the last three years, the teams used these funds that have been responsible for 145 major arrests, disruptions and leads across 10 states. You know what that translates into? Lives saved, tragedies averted, because of those highly specialized units. And now, Donald Trump is refusing to release the funds that those teams so desperately need. In so doing, Donald Trump broke a promise that he made last October, when I asked him - after there were the initial cuts of $187 million cut from our Homeland Security grant, I called him up, asked him if he would restore it - he said he'd look into it, but in his usual way of communicating, he posted on Truth Social, "It was an honor to reverse those cuts."

Yet today, another broken promise, a year later, we're still waiting for the money. Mr. "Make America Safe" still talks about big game on law enforcement, talks big about protecting our law enforcement, our police. Instead of breaking up terror plots, he's breaking up innocent families, detaining children. He even sent DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to New York City today, to hold a press conference at this very moment. Perhaps to spare the Trump administration the embarrassment of literally defunding the police, he should walk right over here now, with a check for $87 million that our first responders and our counterterrorism officials are owed. Don't see him. Another example of Donald Trump endangering public safety to yet again extract revenge on a blue state. It's wrong, and he should work with me to keep people safe, not make them more vulnerable to terrorism attacks and crimes.

And I'll work with anyone - Democrat, Republican - to get the job done. I've made record investments in law enforcement and public safety - nearly $4 billion in the last five years. I've worked across the aisle to strengthen our laws and keep violent offenders across the streets, and it's paying off with crime hitting all-time lows across the state. We've come too far to let this reckless federal government jeopardize all of our progress and the vital work that is still ahead.

So here's my message to the president: Don't undermine our public safety efforts. Don't defund the police who thwart terror attacks. Don't play political games with people's lives. Release the $87 million you owe us, because if you don't release the counterterrorism funding, you're betraying every family that lost someone on 9/11. You're betraying every police officer and firefighter who puts their lives on the line every single day. And you're betraying every New Yorker who no longer believes that the federal government is there to protect them.

In 10 days, we'll see and say the words "never forget," 25 years after 9/11. Those words still mean something to us, still demand something of us. They demand that we remember those who we lost, honor the sacrifices that were made, and do everything in our power to ensure that it never, ever happens again.

Now let me turn it over to Mayor Mamdani to talk more about how critical this funding is, how essential it is, to protecting the people of New York City.