Following Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James have vowed to stand firm against any attempts to undermine the rights of New Yorkers under the incoming administration. Both leaders, who have been outspoken critics of Trump, promised to fight back against potential retribution or retaliation, emphasizing their commitment to protecting the state’s core values. Governor Hochul announced the launch of the Empire State Freedom Initiative, a program designed to shield New Yorkers from any federal actions that may threaten their rights. Attorney General James pledged that her office is fully prepared to resist any attempts to cut critical state funding or rollback rights.
With the election of Donald Trump as president for a second term, New York’s top officials, Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, have made it clear that they are ready to fight any efforts to strip away the rights of New Yorkers or target the state with political retribution. The two leaders, who have been vocal critics of Trump’s policies and actions during his first presidency, reaffirmed their commitment to defending the state’s values in the face of potential challenges under a second Trump administration.
Governor Hochul congratulated Trump on his victory during a press conference on Wednesday. However, she also reiterated New York’s long-standing commitment to safeguarding the rights of its citizens. “I want to be very clear that while we honor the results of this election and will work with anyone who wants to be a partner in achieving the goals of our administration in our state, that does not mean we’ll accept an agenda from Washington that strips away the rights that New Yorkers have long enjoyed,” Hochul said.
“This is not the time to be fearful, New York, but faithful and steadfast, knowing that I, as the attorney general, along with my entire team, we are guardians of the law, and we are prepared, my friends, to fight back,” James declared.
Hochul emphasized that New York has faced difficult times before and has always emerged resilient. She noted that the state would continue to be a “bastion” of freedom and the rule of law, citing its leadership in the women’s rights movement, environmental justice, and labor rights. The Governor introduced the Empire State Freedom Initiative, a new initiative designed to protect New Yorkers from any federal actions that may infringe upon their rights. This initiative will focus on reproductive rights, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, immigration protections, and environmental justice.
“Our team will do whatever we have to do to identify any possible threats to these rights that we hold dear in the state of New York and protect New Yorkers,” Hochul said. “This will include legislation, rulemaking, appropriations and partnerships with our congressional delegation and including the Biden administration at this time.”
While Hochul appeared open to working with the incoming Trump administration on issues of mutual concern, like funding for critical infrastructure projects, she made it clear that any attempt to harm New Yorkers or roll back their rights would meet fierce opposition. “I will fight you every step of the way,” she warned. “New Yorkers are resilient. We fought the first time around, and we’ll fight again.”
Attorney General Letitia James also offered her congratulations to Trump but made it clear that her office would not back down in the face of any federal actions that may harm the state. James, who has led legal challenges against Trump’s previous administration, said her office had been preparing for months to respond to any attempts to undermine New York’s values. “We did not expect this result, but we are prepared to respond to this result,” James said. “We’ve been here before, and we used the rule of law to fight back. We are prepared to fight back once again because, as the attorney general of this great state, it is my job to protect and defend the rights of New Yorkers and the rule of law.”
James noted that between 2019 and 2021, her office took nearly 100 legal actions against the Trump administration, including challenges to attempts to cap state and local taxes, eliminate funding for law enforcement, and dismantle the U.S. Postal Service. James’ office also fought to protect the Affordable Care Act and prevent a citizenship question from being included on the census. She said she was confident in her ability to respond to any attempts by the Trump administration to cut critical funding to New York.
“We’re ready to respond to any attempts to cut or eliminate any funding to the great state of New York,” James said. “Despite what has happened on the national stage, we will continue to stand tall in the face of injustice, revenge or retribution.”
The promise to fight back against any federal retribution comes after years of tension between New York officials and the Trump administration. James specifically pointed to actions taken against Trump’s efforts to undercut state laws and policies, claiming her office would be ready to defend the state against any similar attacks in the future.
As the country braces for the impact of a second Trump presidency, New York’s leadership is sending a clear message that they will not allow any federal overreach or retaliation to diminish the state’s core values. Both Governor Hochul and Attorney General James have pledged to use every tool at their disposal to protect New Yorkers, and it appears that the battle lines are already being drawn.
