New York Governor Kathy Hochul is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s executive order to cut federal funding from states that continue cashless bail policies, calling it a “reckless” move that would jeopardize public safety. The confrontation underscores a renewed national debate over bail reform, law enforcement, and violent crime ahead of the 2025 election season.
On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order targeting states and cities with cashless bail systems, citing examples of suspects released without bail who went on to commit serious crimes. “Maintaining order and public safety requires incarcerating individuals whose pending criminal charges or criminal history demonstrate a clear ongoing risk to society,” the directive stated.
The White House memo supporting the order included several recent cases in New York and other urban centers involving suspects released without bail and later accused of crimes including murder, drug trafficking, and assault. Trump’s administration argued that eliminating bail for such offenders “permits — even encourages — further endangerment” of law-abiding citizens.
Hochul’s office swiftly responded, claiming the president misrepresented the facts. “New York has not eliminated cash bail,” a spokesperson said. “Governor Hochul changed New York’s bail laws so violent offenders are held accountable, and as a result rearrests are down.”
Bail reform laws passed in 2020 eliminated cash bail for most nonviolent felonies, but rising crime and political pressure led to revisions. In April 2025, Hochul signed a state budget that gave judges more discretion to detain individuals deemed a threat to public safety. Her office now defends the law as one of the most balanced in the country, crediting it for helping drive down violent crime to six-decade lows.
Still, New York Republicans remain unconvinced. “Kathy Hochul and NY Democrats’ failed bail reform has been a catastrophic disaster,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik. “Again and again, Kathy Hochul has prioritized violent criminals over law-abiding New Yorkers.”
The executive order has also reshaped the political battlefield in New York City, where Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent, seized the moment to attack Democratic rivals Zohran Mamdani and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. “Cuomo signed the reckless bail reform law that unleashed violent criminals into YOUR neighborhoods,” Adams said. “Now Mamdani wants to defund the NYPD.”
Cuomo’s camp defended the original reforms, pointing out that the state still requires cash bail for violent offenses. “Repeat offender arrests are decreasing,” spokesman Rich Azzopardi said. “It’s clear the drafters of this executive order don’t know the facts.”
The legal impact of Trump’s order remains uncertain, with critics arguing it may not withstand judicial scrutiny. However, politically, it sets a firm tone on law and order—reigniting a key Trump campaign theme while putting progressive bail reformers on defense.
