Trump Orders Review Into Cutting Federal Funds To ‘Anarchist Jurisdictions’

TOPLINE

President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered the federal government to review how it can cut funding to cities “permitting violence and the destruction of property to persist,” escalating tensions with cities experiencing violent unrest and widespread protests against police brutality.

KEY FACTS

Crucial quote

“My Administration will not allow Federal tax dollars to fund cities that allow themselves to deteriorate into lawless zones. It is imperative that the Federal Government review the use of Federal funds by jurisdictions that permit anarchy, violence, and destruction in America’s cities,” the memo says.

Chief critics

 Sam Berger, a former senior OMB official during the Obama administration, told the Washington Post, the memo will be challenged in court. “This is a campaign document coming out of the White House. Any actual restriction on funding in court will immediately be sued and almost certainly struck down,” he said.

Governor Andrew Cuomo called the memo “an illegal stunt.”

Key background

Trump has made law and order a key pillar of his reelection campaign in recent weeks, claiming that Democrats will make the country less safe against violent crime and civil unrest—though that strategy doesn’t appear to be giving the president a bump in the polls.