Clean up crime-ridden transit or lose federal funds: Trump's DOT warns cities

Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy demanded that cities clean up their crime-ridden public transit systems if they want to continue receiving taxpayer funds from the federal government.

Duffy's threats to withhold funding stemmed from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's failure to keep New York City's subway system safe for riders. In a Tuesday letter to the MTA, Duffy requested that the agency turn over data on subway crime as well as its plans to address those issues.

'It's not just New York; it'll be Chicago, it'll be Washington, D.C.'

"The trend of violent crime, homelessness, and other threats to public safety on one of our nation's most prominent metro systems is unacceptable. After years of soft-on-crime policies, our Department is stepping in to restore order," Duffy wrote. "Commuters are sick and tired of feeling like they have to jeopardize their safety to get to work, go to school, or to travel around the city. We will continue to fight to ensure their federal tax dollars are going towards a crime-free commute."

MTA Chief of Policy and External Relations John J. McCarthy released a statement following Duffy's letter, claiming the agency would be "happy to discuss" its efforts with the DOT.

MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber claimed that the agency has "done so much to improve subway safety."

"Right now, crime in the subway is down 45% versus the period right before [the] pandemic," he said. "They asked us for very detailed information, and we're going to prepare a letter in response."

"We have, actually, the lowest number of daily crimes in the subway system than we have ever had in recorded history in the first part of this year," Lieber remarked.

Duffy disputed the MTA's claims during an interview with Fox News, stating that assaults are up 56% in New York subways since 2019.

"It's dangerous, it's dirty, and the city has spent billions of dollars on migrants — whether housing and feeding them — and they can't spend millions of dollars to clean up their subway," Duffy told the news outlet. "We give millions of dollars a year to the New York subway, and part of the requirement is they keep it safe."

Duffy stated that the Trump administration is prepared to pull funding if cities cannot keep their subway systems safe.

"And it's not just New York; it'll be Chicago, it'll be Washington, D.C.," he added. "If they don't get on board to change their ways, we're pulling cash."

"We're not going to fund dirty, disgusting homeless shelters that mirror as subway stations," Duffy told Fox News.

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