President Trump and Elon Musk illegally revoked greater than $80 million in funds from New York Metropolis financial institution accounts after Musk threatened to claw again FEMA funds used to accommodate migrants in “luxury hotels,” the town’s fiscal watchdog Brad Lander stated Wednesday.
The town obtained a fee of $80.5 million from the Federal Emergency Administration Company funding Shelter and Providers Program on Feb. 4. This morning, Lander’s staff found that that whole transaction had simply been reversed Tuesday afternoon.
The FEMA cash was permitted by Congress in 2023 to be distributed to the town for migrant shelters and different providers.
“This highway robbery of our funds directly out of our bank account is a betrayal of everyone who calls New York City home,” Lander stated in a press release.
This comes after Musk stated on social media Monday the administration was looking for to pressure the town to return a fee of $59 million that the billionaire incorrectly stated the town was utilizing to pay for migrants to remain in “luxury hotels.”
The Trump administration fired 4 FEMA staff concerned in doling out funds to New York Metropolis, together with the company’s chief monetary officer, “for circumventing leadership to unilaterally make egregious payments,” in keeping with a launch.
The Division of Authorities Effectivity, the duty pressure Trump tapped Musk to steer, found the disbursement, Musk stated. Musk stated final week’s fee was in “gross insubordination to the President’s executive order,” showing to consult with a January order directing Homeland Safety to pause distribution of federal funding to nongovernmental organizations offering providers to migrants.
Comptroller Brad Lander (Barry Williams/ New York Every day Information)
“New York City cannot take this lying down. I call on the Mayor to immediately pursue legal action to ensure the tens of millions of dollars stolen by Trump and DOGE are rightfully returned. If instead Mayor Adams continues to be President Trump’s pawn, my Office will request to work in partnership with the New York City Law Department to pursue aggressive legal action.”
Adams, for his half, has stated he won’t publicly criticize Trump or his administration. As a substitute, he has stated he’ll take his issues to Trump in non-public. Earlier that very same day, Adams convened a gathering along with his personal high officers to induce them to not communicate badly concerning the president in public, saying that in the event that they had been to take action, it might danger federal funding.
Later that very same day, Trump’s Division of Justice ordered the prosecutors in Adams’ case to drop the fees — partly arguing Adams have to be freed from the burden of his corruption indictment to hold out Trump’s immigration agenda within the metropolis.
Initially Revealed: February 12, 2025 at 1:03 PM EST
