Lives Across New York Now At Risk After Stunning White House Cuts

Governor Kathy Hochul is blasting massive federal cuts to New York’s counterterrorism funding.

Hochul Slams Trump-Era Cuts to New York’s Counterterrorism Funding

Hochul is slamming the Trump White House for slashing $187 million from homeland security programs, an 86 percent cut, "despite having the highest risk of terrorism in the nation."

She says the funding puts the lives of every New Yorker at risk.

“Cutting vital funding to counterterrorism training and preparedness is not how you keep New Yorkers safe — it’s done by investing in our law enforcement agencies. Secretary Noem has chosen to defund our police instead of supporting them, putting every New York family in harm's way,” Hochul said in a statement. “Let me be clear: The safety of New Yorkers has and always will be my number one priority. This is an attack on New York, and the funding must be fully restored.”

Training and Safety on the Line

According to Hochul's office, the funding that's being cut goes towards law enforcement training, equipment, and public safety programs across every county in New York.

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"Cities like Poughkeepsie don’t have the luxury of treating public safety as optional — it’s at the heart of everything we do. Federal counterterrorism funds make sure our police, fire, and emergency teams are ready to respond when it matters most. Pulling that support forces smaller cities to stretch already limited resources, and that puts our residents at risk," City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers said.

Since 2011, more than $40 million has gone to the State Preparedness Training Center, which is currently running its annual Excelsior Challenge, the state’s largest training event for bomb squads, canine handlers, and tactical teams.

Without federal funding, these programs could be gutted, officials say.

"For cities like Newburgh, every dollar of homeland security funding matters. These cuts don’t just reduce budgets — they limit our ability to invest in prevention, preparedness, and rapid response when crises occur. Our residents deserve the full commitment of every level of government to keep them safe, and this decision moves us in the wrong direction," City of Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey said.

No Money for Bomb Squads

The cuts also mean there’s no projected funding this year for any of New York’s 12 certified bomb squads.

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As a result of these cuts, there is no projected funding this year for any of New York State’s 12 certified bomb squads:

• Chautauqua County

• Village of Endicott

• Erie County

• Monroe County

• Nassau County

• New York City

• Onondaga County

• Rochester

• Rockland County

• Suffolk County

• Syracuse

• Westchester County

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