New York Assembly considered gifting $250,000 in security for Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce's wedding

In a debate on the New York State budget, lawmakers considered spending $250,000 to pay for security costs for the July 3 New York City wedding of pop star Taylor Swift and pro football player Travis Kelce. This would have been presented to the couple as a gift.

The New York Post reported that the amount was later "pulled from the agenda." The discussion comes as taxes in the state have become a spot of contention between Albany and the City of New York. Mayor Zohran Mamdani wants more tax dollars to flow into the city, while Governor Kathy Hochul has timidly urged caution when it comes to taxing the state's highest earners to fund Mamdani's social programs.

The funds would have been used to pay State Troopers to provide security for the big day. The state budget does include $20 million "to cover programming and security for events tied to the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary."

Swift is a billionaire and Kelce is a multi-millionaire. The two have no need of gifts from a state that is already struggling to allocate tax dollars in a way that benefits New Yorkers, both upstate and downstate. The budget was due in by lawmakers on April 1, but lawmakers now say maybe next week. A temporary budget extender was passed last week to prevent the government from shutting down.

The July 3 wedding gives the happy couple the chance to honeymoon before Kelce is expected back at practice ahead of the NFL season. Swift has a home in Tribeca and the two intend to split their time between Kelce's Kansas City digs and hers in Manhattan. About 150 guests are expected to attend, many of them celebrities. The engagement was announced in August 2025.