Trump seeks to restrict federal dollars to cities that fail to stop violent crime

The White House has released details on President Trump's plan to hold elected officials accountable by withholding federal funds from their communities when they fail to stop rioting, looting and mass property destruction.

Trump has ordered the Justice Department to identify such jurisdictions and the White House Office of Management and Budget to explore how to restrict federal funds from them.

The president, in his memorandum, has already identified New York City, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Ore.

“My administration will not allow federal tax dollars to fund cities that allow themselves to deteriorate into lawless zones,” he said.

Trump argues that New York City officials have agreed on a budget that shifts nearly $1 billion of police funding to other agencies, amid shooting in the city up 50% in August, compared to the same month last year.

He also argued that Portland recently cut its police divisions for shootings and transit violence, despite receiving hundreds of millions in grants to fund public resources such as transit and law enforcement.

The announcement of the plan drew immediate backlash, with New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo questioning the constitutionality of the effort.