Fact Check: Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul on Trump, the WTC Health Program, and the 9/11 Memorial Museum

CNY Online News
Sep 5
2 min read

Governor Kathy Hochul issued the following statement:

“Just months after slashing funding for the World Trade Center Health Program that cares for survivors and first responders, President Trump now wants to take over the 9/11 Memorial Museum. The 9/11 Memorial belongs to New Yorkers — the families, survivors, and first responders who have carried this legacy for more than two decades and ensured we never forget. Before he meddles with this sacred site, the President should start by honoring survivors and supporting the families of victims.”

We fact-checked this claim:

1. “Slashing funding for the World Trade Center Health Program”

The Trump administration carried out staffing reductions at HHS in 2025, which included some positions at the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).
Critics — including Hochul and Senators Schumer and Gillibrand — framed this as “slashing funding.”
In reality, the WTCHP’s funding is legally guaranteed through 2090 under the James Zadroga Act. Survivors and first responders continue to receive care. The cuts were part of a broader effort to reduce bureaucracy, not a defunding of the program.

✅ Verdict: Misleading. The program’s funding was not slashed. Survivor care remains funded and active.

2. “Trump wants to take over the 9/11 Memorial Museum”

It’s accurate that the Trump administration has discussed federal involvement, potentially designating the 9/11 Memorial and Museum as a national monument.
Supporters argue this would ensure long-term preservation, federal resources, and national recognition for a tragedy that impacted the entire country, not just New York.
While critics call it meddling, this remains only at the discussion stage, with no formal federal takeover in place.

✅ Verdict: True — discussions are happening, but no takeover has occurred.

Overall Assessment

Governor Hochul’s statement contains exaggerations.

Trump did not “slash” survivor health funding — the program’s budget is locked in by law.
The idea of federal involvement in the 9/11 Memorial Museum is real, but it is preliminary and aimed at elevating the site nationally, not seizing it from New Yorkers.

Framed more fairly, Trump’s actions reflect government efficiency and a push to ensure the nation never forgets 9/11 by potentially raising the memorial to a federally recognized site of remembrance.