MIDTOWN — Mayor Bill de Blasio wants the federal government to fork over $35 million to cover the cost of the NYPD security around Trump Tower.
The mayor sent President Obama a letter asking that the funds cover the estimated cost of securing Trump Tower during the period from election day on Nov. 8 until Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, when Trump is expected to move into the White House.
“We are going to be continuing very aggressively in the next couple of days to have calls and meetings with members of the Obama administration and members of Congress to nail down details of the reimbursement,” de Blasio said. “That will be the responsibility of this current administration.”
City lawmakers have already circulated a petition seeking the money.
De Blasio said the federal government has a “pretty good track record” of refunding extraordinary security operations by the NYPD, including the 2015 visit from Pope Francis.
The operation around Trump Tower has been huge, with more than than 100 officers deployed in the area on a daily basis, including members of the elite, heavily armed terrorism response team, 50 traffic officers and police officers on the rooftops of nearby buildings and around the perimeter of Trump Tower.
Trump's choice to operate out of Midtown has drawn fire from New York politicians, who say the president-elect is wreaking havoc in an already crowded area, and costing the city taxpayer money to boot.
On Dec. 2, City Councilman Dan Garodnick and Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Vevirito circulated a petition calling for federal reimbursement, and on Monday morning City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez held a press conference outside Trump Tower asking the president-elect to move his headquarters to a location less costly to secure.
A CNN report last month estimated the city was spending about $1 million per day on the operation, but the request for reimbursement put the cost closer to $500,000 per day, according to POLITICO New York.
City Hall did not immediately provide a copy of the letter.
