De Blasio gave the blunt assessment on Thursday\u2019s episode of the “Hang Out with Sean Hannity”<\/a> podcast. He also said his party “rightfully” deserves the criticism it has faced over the Biden administration\u2019s handling of the southern border<\/a>.<\/p>\n “In retrospect, the whole concept of \u2018defund the police\u2019 made no sense. It made sense to say, how can we do better?” de Blasio said.<\/p>\n In 2020, de Blasio pledged to cut the New York Police Department\u2019s budget by $1 billion<\/a> following citywide protests. The funds were instead shifted to other agencies focused on youth centers and public housing.<\/p>\n HANNITY TELLS SEN FETTERMAN ‘I HAD YOU ALL WRONG’ IN CANDID APOLOGY ON NEW PODCAST<\/a><\/p>\n Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks to the media in New York City on Aug. 2, 2019. (Spencer Platt\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n The former mayor noted that police leaders told him more should be done to give young people positive alternatives, calling it “good for safety” in communities.<\/p>\n Hannity responded with surprise to the admission, saying, “We\u2019re not disagreeing, right? This is amazing.”<\/p>\n “We\u2019re doing good,” de Blasio said, adding, “So \u2018defund\u2019 was a mistake. And I understand where it came from, but it was a mistake.”<\/p>\n DEMOCRATS\u2019 DILEMMA: PROGRESSIVE PUSH TO ‘ABOLISH ICE’ SPARKS FRESH DIVIDE IN PARTY<\/a><\/p>\n On the border, de Blasio also agreed with Hannity. The former mayor called it “common ground,” saying the Biden administration could have handled the surge at the southern border better.<\/p>\n “I don\u2019t like what Biden did with the border,” de Blasio said.<\/p>\n Defund the police activists flood the streets of Brooklyn, New York, in the summer of 2020. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n When pressed on why he never spoke up earlier, he noted that at the time, he didn\u2019t realize the problem was as bad as it was. De Blasio said he reached that conclusion after President Joe Biden moved to tighten border policies later in his presidency.<\/p>\n CORTEZ MASTO ADMITS DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN ‘WEAK ON IMMIGRATION,’ CHIDES BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ON BORDER SECURITY<\/a><\/p>\n “When I saw it during Biden\u2019s time, that he was able to reverse course in that final year and tighten up the border \u2014 no, I mean, that\u2019s the irony,” said de Blasio, who added that something had “changed” in the administration.<\/p>\n “We, as Democrats<\/a>, rightfully deserve that critique,” he added.<\/p>\n![\"Bill](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bill-de-blasio-hannity-nyc-democrats-fox-news.jpg\")
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