Overview
- The former New York City mayor made the remarks during an interview on the newly launched Hang Out With Sean Hannity podcast.
- He said the defund concept "made no sense" and acknowledged it was a mistake.
- In 2020, his administration pledged about $1 billion in NYPD budget reductions, shifting funds to youth centers and public housing while curbing recruit classes and overtime.
- He criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border, saying Democrats "rightfully" deserve criticism and that he recognized the scale of the problem only after later policy tightening.
- For context, he expanded New York City’s sanctuary policies in 2014 by limiting NYPD and corrections cooperation with ICE and closing ICE’s permanent office at Rikers Island.