Protecting the President and the First Family is a high priority. However, Senator Chuck Schumer thinks the federal government should foot the bill when it comes to the ballooning cost of having nearly 20 members of the NYPD protect Trump Towers.
During a press conference Sunday, (Feb. 19) Schumer shared New Yorkers are paying an extraordinary amount to keep the 664-foot-tall building on 5th Avenue safe. “We all know that it is a national responsibility of the federal government to protect the President, and that’s as it should be,” Schumer said. “But right now, New York City taxpayers are paying a huge amount of money to protect the President and the Trump Tower.”
The exact amount is rounded at about $500,000 a day, which is nears $183 million annually. Schumer urged Trump to place the mounting cost in his federal budget and noted, New York City only received $7 million of the requested $35 million.
Mayor Bill de Blasio is also hopeful the huge bill will be picked up by the feds.
“We continue to calculate all costs the city will incur to keep Trump Tower secure during the Trump presidency,” said spokesman Austin Finan. “Communication with Congress and the White House is ongoing and we remain committed to seeking full reimbursement.”