Trenton, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has proposed a $58 billion state budget that includes a notable $1 million allocation to bolster the Attorney General’s Office in its legal battles against President Donald Trump’s administration.
The funding, unveiled as part of Murphy’s final budget plan before leaving office next year, aims to hire additional legal staff to counter federal policies the governor deems detrimental to New Jersey residents.
The initiative, dubbed the “Project for Federal Accountability” by some observers, reflects Murphy’s ongoing strategy to resist Trump’s agenda, a stance that has defined much of his tenure since taking office in 2018. With Trump now in his second term as the 47th President, Murphy signaled that the state is bracing for potential cuts to federal funding and aggressive policy shifts from Washington.
“These are not normal times,” Murphy said during a recent press event, emphasizing the need for robust legal defenses to protect New Jersey’s interests.
The $1 million will support the Attorney General’s Office, led by Matthew J. Platkin, in filing lawsuits and mounting challenges against Trump administration actions. Recent efforts include a multi-state lawsuit challenging an executive order to end birthright citizenship, which Platkin argues violates the Fourteenth Amendment. The budget boost comes as New Jersey faces a $3 billion structural deficit, raising questions about the prioritization of legal battles amid fiscal constraints.
Murphy’s administration has a history of clashing with Trump, from opposing immigration raids to defending environmental regulations and abortion rights. The governor has pledged to stockpile abortion medication and protect clean energy initiatives, areas where he anticipates conflict with Trump’s policies. “We’ll work with the administration where our priorities align,” Murphy said in his State of the State address last month, “but we’ll fight when they don’t.”
Critics, including some Republican lawmakers, argue that the allocation diverts resources from pressing state needs like property tax relief or infrastructure. “New Jersey’s Democratic leaders can’t keep papering over their failures with federal fights,” said State Senator Declan O’Scanlon, suggesting the state’s reliance on $27 billion in annual federal funds—half of which supports Medicaid—could be jeopardized by such confrontations.