NEW YORK CITY — President-elect Donald Trump said he is willing to work with the city in its efforts to get reimbursement for the tens of millions of dollars it has cost taxpayers to protect Trump and his family during the transition, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday.
Speaking in Brooklyn at an unrelated press conference, de Blasio said he had a "brief conversation" with Trump on Wednesday about the city being reimbursed for security costs that NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill has called "unprecedented."
"His message to New York City was we hear you on the impact of the security costs and let's work together on this issue," de Blasio said, describing his conversation with Trump.
Trump has set up his transition offices at his Trump Tower penthouse on Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th streets.
The NYPD, in conjunction with the Secret Service, developed a security plan for the busy area which includes closing streets, creating a bag checkpoint and implementing truck restrictions. Two lanes of Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower remain closed.
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More than 100 officers have been deployed in the area, 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.
City officials said the heavy security costs around $500,000 per day, mostly in police overtime costs, and asked Congress for $35 million to cover its expenses from Nov. 9 to Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration. They later updated the costs to $37.4 million.
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But in December, a Republican-led panel added only $7 million to a short-term funding bill to reimburse New York City for its costs. That amount would only cover two weeks of protection at Trump Tower.
The decision drew immediate rebuke from New York City lawmakers, some of whom called for Trump to move his transition office, and others who started an online petition to get the federal government to cover the costs.
De Blasio's press secretary even got into a public social media tiff over the reimbursement with Trump's staff.
No problem. We'll send you the bill. https://t.co/mxbUqzgHds
— Eric Phillips (@EricFPhillips) December 27, 2016
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The increased security costs for Trump, his family and Trump Tower will become permanent once he is sworn into office because Trump is likely to spend time in his penthouse during his presidency. Trump's wife and son are also likely to stay in the city through at least the end of the school year.
City officials are also concerned that the demands of securing Trump Tower are pulling police away from their work in high crime neighborhoods.
De Blasio and O'Neill said they would continue discussions with Trump's team and the federal government after the initial reimbursement response.
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The mayor said his conversation with Trump doesn't mean New York City will get the reimbursement that it's asking for.
"There's no guarantee of an outcome, 'cause that has to be done by the Congress," the mayor said. "On behalf of all New Yorkers, I appreciate him reaching out and saying that."
