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I wanted to start by talking about the Massachusetts economy.
Your state has been uniquely.
Impacted by the federal funding cuts.
What's the biggest impact you've seen so far.
Well, first of all, it's great to see you, great to be here among friends and also those online. Look you know, in some ways, Massachusetts is no different than any other.
State right now.
I mean the cuts that we've seen to healthcare, to infrastructure, transportation funds have been cut to our state food, We could go on. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has made cuts that are impacting so many states. But I think that for us in particular, we are a knowledge based economy.
We are a state that has grown over the last two hundred and fifty years through investments in education, research, knowledge, and it's given rise to this incredible growth, for example and life sciences.
Where we lead the world. And so when you think.
About cuts to NIH funding, NSF funding, Noah, cuts to colleges and universities, that does have a disproportionate effect on Massachusetts.
And it's not just here's the important thing, it's not just jobs in those areas, in research, in science, in life sciences, for example, it's all the other jobs that go with it, because two out of every five jobs in those areas are actually jobs in construction, in real estate, in legal IP operations, in hospitality, in restaurants, and so you know, that's why those cuts are particularly devastating to
a state like Massachusetts. But you know, we could talk about what I'm doing, yeah, to combat that, but that.
Is certainly something that we're seeing.
The other thing that's been hard for us is that we're a state where as governor, I am very focused on lowering costs for residents for businesses that include energy costs. One thing we don't need is energy supply to our region cut off. And unfortunately, that's what we're seeing by the Trump administration's move to kill jobs and to literally take away power by dismantling wind operations on the East Coast.
Yes, and we're gonna absolutely get it to get to wind, but before we get there, I just did want to talk about what you've been doing to combat the threat that these funding costs.
Pose to the state.
You've proposed using four hundred million dollars in state funding to help combat that.
How far does that go?
Well, here's the thing Okay, I think this is a good investment even without what is happening by the Trump administration, but especially because of the cuts that we're seeing. You know, I want to be clear as governor of this great state of Massachusetts, we're open to the world for business. We want to continue to be the place that attracts students and researchers from around the country, from around the world.
We want to attract.
Entrepreneurs and innovators as we have for so many decades.
And you know, part.
Of my statement and coming forward with DRIVE, which stands for discovery, Research.
Innovation for a vibrant economy.
The whole point is to say we're making these investments because we know the ROI. We've seen it in life sciences and that's why we're not just number one in the country.
We are the global hub for life sciences.
And when you think about climate technology or applied AI or even you know, further work that we can do in life sciences, these are the kinds of investments.
That we need to make.
So that's four hundred million dollars in state funding that we hope to leverage with additional funding from you know, I'm a big believer I'm a time flavor player and public private partnership, you know, that's what we are embracing more than ever. So obviously, we have a venture community, we have a life sciences community, we have an academic community,
we have an investment community. People know and understand what it means to make an investment and see a great return, and so we're hoping to be able to leverage that and really be a model. I don't know of a state that's doing this, but it's that important, by the way, not just to Massachusetts, it's important to this country because
the only one who's winning right now is China. China's on our campuses in Massachusetts and around the United States, at our research institutions, at our teaching hospitals, looking to recruit everyone away. You've seen that, You've covered that, and that's the shame of it all, you know. I am about America first. I'm a very competitive person. I want
Massachusetts soaring and I want America soaring. And one thing we shouldn't be doing is not investing in science and research and innovation and seeing that essentially to China and other countries.
Yes, just to go a little bit deeper into that public private initiative that you've proposed. Can you give us a window into how much interest have you received in actually putting money into this and why should individuals or businesses put money in a state administered fund.
Well, look, I'm the CEO of the state, and my job is to be the best economic steward that I can be for this state. And that means making sure that we are maximizing the return on taxpayer dollar. It also means making sure that I am working inside and outside of government to provide the best economic infrastructure that I can. It's why I've gone big investing in education in this state and including a whole pipeline KTA twelve
and beyond. It's also why I think there's a recognition by folks in the private sector that it is our economic infrastructure at stake, and that's why we all need to come together and figure out a way to power through this time. I think through new and innovative partnerships that not only will sustain us through this time, but really put in Massachusetts where it should be, which is right at the front nationally globally when it comes to
attracting talent. Again, my message to the world is Massachusetts were open for business.
We want you to continue to come.
Here, study here, research here, innovate here, incubate here.
And grow your companies here.
And we have provided and have sought to provide an environment that's conducive to that by providing a pipeline or workforce were the most educated workforce in the country, by making major improvements to a public transit system, which is important to producing more housings so that employees can actually afford to live in a place like Massachusetts. These are things that I think are very important to the private sector and why we've seen energy and synergy around this kind of collaboration.
Do you have a death that I know, Do you have a dollar or figure in mind that you'd like to read for that or how are you thinking about its potential thithe and impact.
Well, these are big numbers, right, but you know, if you think about Massachusetts alone, we probably have received per capita, the largest amount of NIH funding over the years. It's about three point three billions. So we're talking about big numbers. And it's not to say that we'll be able to sort of make up for all of that, but I think that if we can smartly and nimbly come together
and make the right investments. Together the public sector and the private sector, we'll be able to do something very special.
So I want to I said I'd come back to wind, which you brought up the Trump campaign, their campaign against wind. There was additional developments today with the proposal to stop the development of projects in your state. This past week, you joined other Democratic governors in a joint statement calling for the administration to allow permitted offer wind projects to proceed. What was the reaction to that statement after you put it up.
Well, I guess we're sort of waiting to see, but you know, all of us are in the strongest possible terms urging the Trump administration to stop with this, to stop with the stop work orders, to stop killing jobs, to stop cutting off power. I mean literally, when we were hearing word that there might be a stop work order down the entire East Coast, that was incredibly concerning
for all of US governors. For me, I had the concern not only was it going to kill thousands and thousands of jobs, it was also going to literally shut off power to two hundred thousand homes in businesses because our wind project is already producing power into the grid, and so that just doesn't make any sense. And you know, I am somebody I've been very public about this. I support an all of the above approach when it comes to energy to.
Do what we need to do.
And as somebody who's spent one hundred million dollars to create an applied AI hub here in Massachusetts, when you think about what our energy needs are as a country, they're just expanding exponentially. It's why we need nuclear and solar and hydro and wind and gas. So don't take wind off the table. We desperately need it. And that's why you saw so many governors come together. Not only is it a matter of jobs, because you know, we're talking about so many jobs, so many construction jobs, so
many union jobs. There's been a lot of investment in this workforce actually to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Don't let that go to waste, and most importantly, don't shut off power into a region that needs it. The other thing, of course, is this more power, more supply, lower costs. Everybody across America is dealing with the high cost to energy.
So what do you not want to do in the face of that?
You don't want to shrink supply, right and so that's why we continue to advocate for this most strongly. But you know, you think about the companies at the top of the index right and you think about you know that the needs of tech right now, and in particular, I think about a state like ours, where we're looking to do so much power through technology the energy supply as a country, there should be a concerted effort to get every state in the country working to work together.
Some states may be better for guests, some states may be better for nuclear. Some states may be better situated for solar arraysed or hydro or geothermal. By the way,
I want to explore all in Massachusetts. But it seems to me leadership from the President and the administration would look like figuring out a plan to source more energy into this country, to build out the transmission line so that power can actually flow, so that we have a reliable and truly independent source of energy for Americans.
Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that in New York, Governor Hokal got the FEDS to lift a stop work order on the Empire Wind Project in exchange for dropping opposition to new gas pipelines.
In the state.
Do you think there's scope for a similar deal in Massachusetts?
Well, I think we've already talked about that. I mean that's already that's already known, but that there's a willingness to do that.
But that's sort of, you know, not enough.
I mean, what we really need to do is have a comprehensive, concerted strategy where the federal government is working with states, not against states, in an effort to bring more power on board. Right, That's what we should be doing, and that's what I just you know, really urged the Trump administration to get back to. It makes no sense wind is I don't understand where some of this is coming from.
This antipathy towards wind. We see WIND.
I mean, look at so many of the states out out west. I mean they've been long using WIN. We need to continue to do that here and to harness it here. It's a tremendous source for us, it's not the only source, which is why you know, I'm going to continue to work in partnership with other governors. It's also wid months ago I invited all the premieres down from Canada, you know, and what can we work out this region and the Eastern provinces in terms of sourcing more energy into our regions.
So, just to be clear, as part of your all of the above approach to energy, you would be supportive of new gas pipelines in Massachusetts.
I'd consider any proposals that come our way. In fact, ever Source, one of our utility companies, just filed a proposal for ten years that I personally support because we need we need some near term solves to the supply issue that we have right now in the Northeast. And again, this is an issue that we see across America, but I think it's particularly acute for the Northeast region of the country.
So at the same time, the state does have some pretty ambitious goals in terms of cutting its emissions. Do you have a plan B for renewable energy if Trump's opposition to wind doesn't really.
Budge Look, I have been I think as governor I was the first governor to name a climate chief across our administration. I'm very mindful of that. It's why I was invited by them Pope Francis to the Vatican to talk about how we could work both through national and subnational relationships on addressing some of these issues. That said, I am acutely focused right now on the issue of costs, costs for our rate payers, our residents, our businesses, and how do you deal with that. You deal with that
by getting more supply into the region. And I think the good news here is that there are a lot of different ways to do that to accomplish that that also make use of a clean energy portfolio that is proven to work, and the prices are coming down on that.
So don't take that off the table.
I mean, there's a reason why China is building multiple.
Wind farms right now.
Right we already see them in Europe, for example, so we know this is part of the solution. Other countries are recognizing it. Don't take this, don't take this away again. If you care about American competitiveness, right and we want to have AI and we want to have these data centers and we want to see this kind of growth, You're not going to be able to do anything if you take power away from from these sources. You know, I think about Virginia. You know they've got that wind
operation going with Dominion. They've got a lot of data centers that need to get powered. I don't know they are not going to be able to be powered absent that wind source. So it's just an example, but I think it's the mentality that we need. It's all of the above working together, states and the federal government working together.
So we've talked about a few of the areas where the federal government is cutting spending. One area that is getting more money is Trump's immigration enforcement agenda. Assuming that arrests and deportations pick up, what is your strategy for dealing with that.
In the last few siths.
You know, this is just another area where I shake my head. You know, the investments have been made there, but to what end. We just lost one point two million people from the employment rules because of those immigration tactics. Right, one point two million immigrants are not working today who were working six months ago.
How is that good for our economy?
And here's what I see, And remember, I was an attorney general. As a prosecutor, I put away drug cartels and drug traffickers and human traffickers. I think I had my bona FIDE's there, okay, And I've said I was all in when it came to taking out violent.
Criminals from our streets, our communities. Right, I think.
Every governor has said, well, help, but that's not what's happening. It's construction workers and nannies and landscapers and health aides, right, and people taking care of our kids. That's who's getting picked up. And it doesn't make any sense economically. It's heartbreaking, you know, it's heartbreaking. I mean, we are better than that, America. We're not a country that was about putting little Guatemalan kids on a plane and sending them all by their
lonesome to a foreign country. That's not who we are. So I just, yes, the money is unbelievable. I think it's it doesn't do anything to further public safety. Again, if you focused on violent criminals, that's one thing, but that's not what they're running through.
Now they've run.
Through that, and so they're taking away people who are contributing to our economy, who are paying taxes, who are.
Contributing to our community. The other thing is this, I think it.
Undermines local law enforcement, to be honest, because what local law enforcement and state law enforcement need, they need to be funded, and instead the Trump administration has cut funding for local and state law enforcement for the work that we would do with victims of crime. Witnesses to crime, for the kinds of support that we give to keep
people out of the criminal justice system. Cuts to mental health, cuts to drug recovery and drug treatment programs by the Trump administration do not make us more safe.
That's where I'd like to see the money go.
What would you do if Trump sends the National Guard into Massachusetts?
I don't know why he would. I don't know why he would.
I'm very proud of the Massachusetts National Guard. Did you know that Massachusetts is the birthplace of the National Guard?
I did not.
Yes, We've been around since sixteen hundreds. The very first muster of the National Guard was in Salem, Massachusetts. Were also the birthplace of the Navy and the Coast Guard, and we claim the Marines too, because George Washington sent a crew off a couple hundred years ago. So I really respect and value our military history here. I also respect and value our law enforcement work as well. And to put the Guard on the streets in a way they were never intended to be used, which was domestically
against our own citizens. That's not what the Guard is supposed to be doing. That is not the mission, Nor do I think it is the mission that the good men and women of the Guard signed up for you know, they signed up to be citizen shouldiers, to be prepared to go overseas and fight wars and defend our freedom abroad, and also to be here it's hurricane season. Think about the Guard and how instrumental they've been in natural disasters and even during COVID, the work that they were doing.
That's the mission of the Guard.
And so to see it abused in this way as a as a really an act of political theater and just to sort of show a power flex it's it's it's terribly distressing and I know it's it's not the mission of those teams, and it's it's just sad to see.
So switching gears a little bit, you brought up the AI industry. Can you tell us about how you see developing that in Massachusetts? Strong businesses here and what is your vision?
Yeah, well, first, it does take money in investment, because the rest is just happy talk unless you actually put some muscle on, some investment and some dollars behind it. So we've launched one hundred million dollar AI hub that we've created that allows research and government and industry to
come together and that's exciting to see. We also, though, have focused on how can we create the kind of applied AI accelerators that we want to see, and we recently announced a partnership with IBM and red Hat where they'll be here in Massachusetts and they'll be helping us create this accelerator network for applied AI entities, and I think that's going to be really powerful because again I'm for me, the race in Massachusetts is how can we use AI to more quickly treat disease and come up
with cures or you determine what we need to do around any number of things, right, I mean that's been our focus, and so I'm excited about those things. The other thing with this is you've got to have training,
though you've got to have a workforce. So we put a lot of research and resources into our schools how to train in our schools on AI because we want our young people trained on and acclimated to AI and using that as part of a vocational training and also something that they learn in a traditional CA to twelve curricula. I think that's super important. And finally importantly, I think you've got to practice what you preach, and so We've
benefited from a wonderful partnership with colleges and universities. Northeastern University here, pre eminent university. We have students from Northeastern that we have actually brought into all of our state agencies and we gave them a sandbox, an AI sandbox, and they've actually now developed tools that our state employees are using to make the delivery of governments services faster and better.
I'll give you an example.
You apply for you know, you're working on a project as a contractor to redo this highway, and typically you'd have to call somebody up at the Department of Transportation and talk through different change orders and specs that could take days weeks to wade through nine hundred pages right and get a response. Imagine a prompt just a couple of minutes later, you have an answer that's going to be great for government because it's going to help us
better deliver and serve our people. So I'm very excited about the possibilities of AI in our state.
Yeah.
So before we go to the audience, Q and I one last question. I was hoping you could zoom out a little bit for us and tell us how effective you think the Democratic Party has been so far at pushing back on President Trump, and specifically, could you give us a window into the level of coordination amongst the Democratic governors and the attorney generals. What does that look like as you think about all these policies that you oppose.
Yeah, I mean, and as I mentioned at the outset, I think all of us are dealing with really severe cuts and hits to our state.
I think about the fact.
That the recently past Big Beautiful Bill is going to potentially throw three hundred and fifty thousand base Staters off of health insurance. That's a huge number, right, And the same thing is happening in other states. And so we obviously talk a lot about what these cuts mean. You know, how we're going to take care of our seniors, how we're going to feed kids who just saw Donald Trump cut.
Food for kids.
I mean, things that we can never have imagined are happening. The disinvestment. How do you deal with the fact that capital isn't being deployed in your state because it's not being deployed in this country right now because people are so uncertain or they're going elsewhere. You know, all of these things we're experiencing there's a lot of commonality there, so it's important for us to be into to and find ways to support each other. You see that happening
among states looking to work together regionally. You know, I mentioned the convenient I did with the Canadian premiers and the Northeast governors, including New York, because we have to think about how we're going to work collaboratively on bringing
more energy into our region and lowering costs. I think about, for example, public health in the face of RFK just destroying public health and the public health infrastructure in this country or attempting to you know, how are we going to work together as states to make sure that people have access to the kinds of you know, vaccines that
people want. Flu seasons coming up, we still have COVID, I mean all the stuff that you know, we send our kids off to school and get like, how do we work together as states to come in and support some of this infrastructure.
I think the thing.
About the party, Look, it's a big party, it's a big tent.
You got a lot of voices.
I know that I am focused on telling the story of what I am doing as a Democratic leader. I tell people about the fact that I cut taxes. I'm the first governor in Massachusetts in over twenty years, a Democrat to cut taxes. I was preceded by a Republican governor. I am focused every day on building more housing. When I started as governor, we were short and estimated two hundred and twenty thousand housing units in this state.
They just hadn't been housing being built in our state.
And through a bunch of things, we did tax credits for developers, you know, changes to the law to make accessory dwelling units available by right, We're doing you know, mill to housing conversions, office to housing conversions. I've offered a surplus land in the state to developers to build housing. We started with a deficit of two hundred and twenty thousand and two and a half years in, we now
have over ninety thousand housing starts underway. We got a lot of work to do still, but you have to talk to people about, you know, what it is that you're delivering on and frankly, what the Democratic Party represents to me. We represent we invest in education, in public education, we invest in science, we invest in healthcare. You know, we believe that working together we can achieve so much more.
I mean, we invest in workforce. These are all things that the Democratic Party stands for.
And by the way, you know, I'll just say this, as a party, I think we think diversity is a strength, not a flaw. We ought to be availing ourselves of everybody's talent. You know, it doesn't matter where they're from or who they love, like, why not, you know, make the most of what everybody has to offer.
And I think too to that point.
You know, people believe in freedom in this country, as we should. And as a governor in Massachusetts, where this country was born, right, we celebrated two hundred and fifty years. We started a year early because we kicked it all off with those little battles in Lexington and conquered freedom matters, you know, reproductive freedom, right, the freedom to live a life free of discrimination.
Right. These things matter to people. They matter to people.
Who have kids too, because you want the future to be even brighter for your kids than it was for yourself. And I think that's something that we need to continue to draw in as a country, and certainly I will as a Democratic leader