By Mandy Taheri

New York State Attorney General Letitia James congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on his presidential victory but quickly warned during the press conference on Wednesday that her office is “prepared to fight back” against any erosion of rights under the new administration.

James and Trump have a strained relationship. In 2018, James campaigned to “take on” then-President Donald Trump, and in February, she won a civil fraud case against Trump and top Trump Organization executives.

New York State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, found Trump and his two sons guilty of fraud by overvaluing certain properties. Engoron ordered an original penalty of $354 million, which ballooned to $464 million due to interest. Trump is also banned from serving as any director of a New York organization for three years.

In March, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that James is “considered by many to be the WORST Attorney General in the U.S.” In that same post, he wrote, “HHHave no fear —When I become the 47th President, we will MAKE NEW YORK GREAT AGAIN!”

On Wednesday afternoon, James held a press conference responding to Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election.

“I congratulate the president-elect, Donald Trump,” James said. She continued, “And if possible, we will work with his administration. But we will not compromise our values or our integrity or our principles.”

Newsweek has reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment via email on Wednesday.

James reiterated throughout her speech that her office is “prepared to fight back once again,” adding that her office, as well as other Democratic attorney generals across the country, are “guardians of the law.”

Prior to Trump’s election, she warned that she would be prepared to challenge Project 2025 proposals.

Project 2025, a nearly 900-page document created by the conservative Heritage Foundation as a handbook detailing policies for the next Republican president, outlines a dramatic expansion of presidential power.

It also proposes sweeping changes to remake the federal government, including for the Department of Education and the Department of Homeland Security to be dismantled.

She told New Yorkers on Wednesday, “We’ve created contingency plans, so no matter what the next administration throws at us, we’re ready. We’re ready to respond to their attacks. We’re ready to respond to any attempts to cut or eliminate any funding to the great state of New York.”

James said during the conference, “We will continue to stand tall in the face of injustice, revenge, or retribution.”