By George Lehman
Boston University News Service
After an uncontested mayoral race on Tuesday, Mayor Michelle Wu turned her attention to President Donald Trump during her speech on election night, highlighting the city’s response to the federal administration’s policies impacting Boston since the president took office last November.
“This year, against the backdrop of a federal administration’s chaos and cruelty, we faced a choice,” Wu said while speaking to supporters. “Cave to the pressure, backtrack, and change course, or double down on the values that founded our nation.”
“That is what this election was about here in Boston,” the mayor added.
This past July, the freezing of federal funds for Massachusetts schools brought criticism after Gov. Maura Healey said the U.S. Department of Education was withholding $108 million in funding already appropriated by Congress for schools across the state.
A few months later in September, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Boston along with Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox, claiming the city’s sanctuary policies “obstruct” the federal government from enforcing its immigration laws.
Also in September, MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng was issued a letter from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy requesting information on “the agency’s practices and expenditures,” and gave direction to use capital grants for expenses relating to preventing crime and security measures.
“Threaten our schools, ban books and erase history, and we will throw open the doors to our cultural treasures, making museums and performances, knowledge and art free for every Boston student and their family,” Wu said. “Attempt to take away housing, funding, and food, and we won’t just see you in court. We’ll show you what it looks like when [the] government actually functions.”
Wu also spoke about the city’s response to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments (SNAP) that were suspended on Nov. 1st, amid the ongoing government shutdown in Washington.
“Just last week, in between pardoning crypto billionaires and tearing down the East Wing, Donald Trump sent his lawyers to Boston to block SNAP benefits for seniors, for children, [and] people with disabilities,” Wu said. “But in just two days, our city stood up a $2 million emergency fund with the Boston Foundation and community partners to make sure our families have food.”
According to the City of Boston, more than 140,000 Boston residents – 1 in 5 people – relied on SNAP benefits in September 2025. Last year, SNAP dollars spent at “Boston grocery stores, farmers markets and other food retailers” averaged $30 million per month.
The Trump administration on Monday said it will partially fund SNAP benefits after federal judges in Boston and Rhode Island ruled on Friday it is unlawful for the U.S. The Department of Agriculture to suspend payments for the program.
Wu spoke alongside City Council President Routhzee Louijeune and City Councilor Henry Santana, who were both reelected to their at-large city council seats. All four at-large city councilors running for reelection on Tuesday ended up winning to keep their seats for another term.
“Right now, our city is being targeted because we refuse to stop doing what they say is impossible,” Wu said.
“Want-to-be dictators don’t like seeing proof that democracy works, proof that we don’t have to choose between progress and prosperity, competence and compassion, cities and safety, common sense and community,” she continued. “So over the next four years, we will continue to fight and continue the work that we’ve started together.”
