SUBWAY OR THE HIGHWAY: Trump Admin Tells NYC MTA to Reduce Crime or Lose Funding

In a letter to the New York City Metro Transportation Authority (MTA) on Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued an ultimatum: clean up the subway or risk losing federal funding.

Duffy said the new administration is here to “restore order.”

“The trend of violent crime, homelessness, and other threats to public safety on one of our nation’s most prominent metro systems is unacceptable. After years of soft-on-crime policies, our Department is stepping in to restore order,” Duffy wrote.

“Commuters are sick and tired of feeling like they have to jeopardize their safety to get to work, go to school, or to travel around the city. We will continue to fight to ensure their federal tax dollars are going towards a crime-free commute,” he added.

Duffy requested data on fare evasion, worker assaults, customer assaults and police patrols. It also requests an accounting of how the MTA has used federal funding to address safety and security in the city’s transportation system.

“I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter to avoid further consequences, up to and including redirecting or withholding funding,” Duffy wrote.

Duffy was on Fox & Friends Wednesday morning to discuss the letter.

“If you can’t keep your subways safe, if people can’t go to the subway and not be afraid of being stabbed, or thrown in front of tracks, or burnt—and if we can’t consider the subway a subway and not a homeless shelter, WE’RE GONNA PULL YOUR MONEY,” Duff said.

Watch the clip below:

.@SecDuffy: "If you can’t keep your subways safe, if people can’t go to the subway and not be afraid of being stabbed, or thrown in front of tracks, or burnt—and if we can’t consider the subway a subway and not a homeless shelter, WE'RE GONNA PULL YOUR MONEY." pic.twitter.com/LqoJFYzHcD

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) March 19, 2025

MTA Chief of Policy and External Relations John McCarthy argued crime is “moving in the right direction” in a statement responding to Duffy’s letter on Tuesday.

“Crime is down 40% compared to the same period in 2020 right before the pandemic, and so far in 2025 there are fewer daily major crimes in transit than any non-pandemic year ever,” McCarthy said, adding that fare evasion is down 25% since COVID.

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