Trump Plans To Shift Anti-Terror Funding From Democratic-Led States To Republican States: Records

Last Updated:October 17, 2025, 03:26 IST

Trump plans to shift anti-terror funds from Democratic to Republican states, sparking lawsuits and a federal judge’s block as states like New York and California faced major cuts.

US President Donald Trump. (Image: X/@WhiteHouse)

US President Donald Trump-led administration plans to transfer anti-terrorism funding from Democratic-led states to states ruled by Republicans, Reuters cited government records.

In response, 12 Democratic states have sued to block the cuts stating that the Trump administration was using this tactic to punish them for not cooperating with federal immigration agents.

A federal judge in Rhode Island has temporarily blocked the administration from distributing the money until the case is resolved.

According to Reuters, New York, one of the states that brought the lawsuit, initially faced a 77% cut in funding, but on October 3, Trump said he had reversed that. He did not elaborate on why.

Reuters cited a government release in late summer stating how much money each state should expect to receive from the programme. However, it later changed the amount, according to notices the states received in late September from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Reuters reported that Wisconsin, North Carolina and Ohio, which Trump won in 2024, saw the biggest percentage increase among states. Florida would see an 76% increase in its grant funds under the Trump administration’s changes.

Meanwhile, the Democratic-led states Washington, D.C., Illinois and New Jersey saw particularly sharp decreases, with Washington’s total cut by 70%, Illinois by 69% and New Jersey by 49% compared to what the administration previously said they would receive. California also lost 31%.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the US Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, said that the new funding totals give “greater weight" to threats from transnational organised crime, opens new tab, defined as criminal organisations that operate across international borders. It also accounts for “illegal border crossings," the spokesperson said.

According to Reuters, Trump in recent weeks has cut billions of dollars in funding for energy and infrastructure in Democratic states, including New York and California, carrying out his threat to target those states during the U.S. government shutdown.

“It is flatly untrue to suggest that these changes are arbitrary or politically motivated," a DHS spokesperson said. “Adjustments in award amounts follow a methodical, risk-informed analysis with the goal of ensuring that every dollar spent yields the maximum benefit for the American people."

News world Trump Plans To Shift Anti-Terror Funding From Democratic-Led States To Republican States: Records

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