A Failure of Leadership to Stand with Granite Staters
- Amplify NH
- Feb 3
- 6 min read
Over the last week, Granite Staters and Americans across the country experienced chaos and confusion coming out of Washington on a scale we haven’t seen since the first Trump Administration. With the Trump administration’s reckless order to pause all federal grants and loans, suspended flights between Manchester and Washington Reagan National Airport following the tragic plane crash in Washington, and the implementation of tariffs with one of New Hampshire’s largest trading partners, Granite Staters are desperate for leadership.
And while New Hampshire’s Congressional delegation has stood up and demanded answers and accountability, Governor Kelly Ayotte is nowhere to be found. Let’s take a look at the two approaches in leadership in face of the threats hardworking Granite Staters face at the hands of the Trump administration’s latest actions.
Ayotte Fails First Leadership Test
It has now been a full week since the Office of Management and Budget issued a blanket freeze on federal grant and loan funds. In the days following, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction to halt the freeze, the White House rescinded the memo, “clarified” that rescinding the memo did not mean withdrawing the freeze, and faces another federal judge weighing a restraining order on the Executive Order.
Amidst this chaos and confusion, Governor Kelly Ayotte has not held a single press conference addressing concerns or answering questions, nor has she relayed any details or clarification she has gotten from the Trump Administration she pledges loyalty to and claims to have a relationship with.
Amidst the federal funding freeze, Ayotte has been unable to deliver any clear assurances for New Hampshire, including:
Neglecting to protect the $1.5 million in federal COPS grant funding to keep officers on the street protecting our communities, despite a fear-mongering campaign on crime
Failing to protect 184,000 Granite Staters on Medicaid who had their portal shut down
Reinstatement of $16 million in Head Start funding for New Hampshire preschoolers
Proving unable to defend the $14 million in federal funding to combat homelessness or done anything to protect VA benefits
Refusing to join a lawsuit with other governors to sue the federal government to protect New Hampshire against these unconstitutional freeze
On Wednesday evening, a deadly plane crash in Washington, D.C. occurred amidst reports of “not normal” staffing levels at the DCA control tower after President Trump gutted the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, forced the Federal Aviation Administration chief’s resignation at Elon Musk’s request just one year into a five year term, froze federal hiring, and cajoled federal workers to resign. This comes after 15 years of no U.S. commercial aviation fatalities, including during the Biden Administration.
On Friday morning, the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, which operates American Airlines flights through PSA Airlines, the airline involved in Wednesday’s accident, continued to suspend flights despite DCA in Washington, D.C. reopening for service. Once again, Governor Kelly Ayotte’s leadership is absent in advocating for a review of FAA leadership decisions by the Trump Administration, a lift on the federal hiring freeze to ensure the FAA control towers are properly staffed to keep Granite Staters safe, or updates regarding safety concerns that compelled MHT to continue suspended service.
New Hampshire families deserve leadership and stability in times of crisis, not silence. While chaos unfolds in Washington and critical flights remain grounded at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, Governor Ayotte has been nowhere to be found. Why is she hiding? Maybe because her refusal to stand up to the Trump Administration’s reckless policies—or even provide Granite Staters with basic information—shows a stunning lack of leadership.
At a time when lives are at stake and our services are on the line, Governor Ayotte’s stunning failure to advocate for and reassure Granite Staters is unacceptable. Even Chris Sununu handled crisis better. When New Hampshire was impacted by COVID he held daily briefings to the press and public. What happened to following the “Sununu Path?”
Federal Delegation Stands up for Vulnerable Granite Staters
Although Ayotte and other NHGOP officials have remained silent about the negative implications of Trump’s reckless actions, the members of New Hampshire’s federal delegation have spoken out on behalf of vulnerable Granite Staters.
New Hampshire’s senior U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen took to the Senate floor to slam the federal funding chaos, sharing how it could impact Granite Staters and Americans across the nation who are reliant on jeopardized services.
“This is a decision that does not lower costs, it does not create jobs, it does not enhance public safety or keep our communities safe,” said Shaheen. “It's a decision that actually will hurt people in my state of New Hampshire and too many across the country who rely on services that are now in jeopardy.”
Senator Maggie Hassan shared similar sentiments, noting during a press conference in the U.S. Capitol how the President’s illegal and unconstitutional action is a blatant overreach of power, already harming Granite Staters.
“Let's be clear: this money is not the President's to freeze or take away. It was appropriated by Congress, and it belongs to the American people,” said Hassan. “To my Republican colleagues, I suggest that you have to decide what bridge it is, is too far… We cannot let America become a place where our leaders hold back the people's funds by day and purge the people's watchdogs by night.”
New Hampshire’s U.S. Congressional representatives took to social media to speak out on the funding freeze and advocate for New Hampshire communities.
“The order from the Trump Administration will have a devastating impact on communities across New Hampshire, raise costs for working people and institutions, and make it harder for families to access the basic services they rely on,” said Representative Chris Pappas.
“Communities across New Hampshire rely on federal funding,” said Representative Maggie Goodlander. “The effects of President Trump’s freeze on federal grants could be disastrous for New Hampshire. Our team is working with partners across our state and in Congress to fight for the funding New Hampshire deserves.”
Chaos for NH Nonprofits
New Hampshire nonprofits, which rely on federal funds to provide critical social services such as addiction treatment and recovery programs, medical care in underserved areas, support for homeless youth, home care for seniors and more, have also been sounding the alarm.
As many of these organizations have budgets heavily funded by federal grants, any prolonged interruption in funding would be unsustainable, causing Granite Staters to lose out on crucial resources and potentially threatening the financial stability of community health centers in New Hampshire.
“If our funding is reduced by 70% for a month, I'm not sure how long I can sort of keep paying people with a promise that maybe we'll get some funding,” said Borja Alvarez de Toledo, president and CEO of Waypoint, a New Hampshire-based social services agency that pays for housing assistance for youth experiencing homelessness, early childhood programs and services for young children with developmental disabilities, among other programs.
“I don't want to be an alarmist, but certainly the way it was conveyed, the shutdown and the freeze, is very alarmist.”
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Thank you,
Ryan Mahoney
Executive Director