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On Sunday, Congress reached an agreement on the national budget that will ensure that the government is operational through September, at least. Part of that agreement includes funds to reimburse New York City for the millions of dollars it has spent providing security to Trump Tower, The New York Daily News reported.
“We are getting what we are owed,” Mayor Bill de Blasio, said in a statement. “That's good news for our city and the hardworking police officers faced with this unprecedented security challenge.”
The budget has set aside $61 million for such security measures, according to the Mayor’s office, with $20 million allocated for costs incurred between Election Day and Inauguration Day, and $41 million for costs after Inauguration Day. These funds will likely be split between Florida (though it’s not yet clear how much), according to the Daily News, where Trump frequently visits his Mar-a-Lago resort.
The Mayor has been calling on the federal government to cover those security costs for months now, saying in December that the President’s security measures were costing the city $500,000 per day. That estimate has since gone down (likely after Trump moved to the White House), and the city now says it costs between $127,000 to $146,000 a day to provide protection to First Lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, who continue to live at Trump Tower. The city spent $24 million providing protection to Trump Tower before the inauguration, according to the Mayor’s Office.
The costs escalate whenever the president is in town, according to the Mayor’s office, averaging $308,000 per day. Trump is expected to make his first visit to New York City since he moved to the White House this Thursday. He will speak at the USS Intrepid museum and meet with the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull. Several protests are planned across the city in conjunction with his return.
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