NEW YORK — President Donald Trump has sparked a fresh political firestorm by reportedly tying the release of billions of dollars in federal infrastructure funding to a personal demand: renaming two of the nation’s most iconic transit hubs in his honor.
According to reports from Axios, CNN, and Punchbowl News, the President held a meeting last month with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to discuss the long-delayed Gateway Tunnel Project. The project, a critical $16 billion rail connection beneath the Hudson River linking New York and New Jersey, has seen its federal funding frozen by the Trump administration. During the exchange, Trump reportedly offered to lift the freeze and release the funds—on the condition that Schumer support a plan to rename New York’s Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport after Donald J. Trump.
A High-Stakes Ultimatum
The Gateway Tunnel is widely considered the most urgent infrastructure project in the United States. Its proponents argue that a failure of the century-old existing tunnels would cripple the Northeast Corridor’s economy. However, the project has frequently become a bargaining chip in partisan disputes.
Sources familiar with the conversation state that Schumer rejected the proposal immediately, informing the President that he did not have the unilateral authority to rename a state-controlled transit hub like Penn Station or a federally managed airport like Dulles. Following the rejection, the White House has maintained the freeze on the $16 billion in funding, leading to warnings from project officials that construction could soon grind to a halt, potentially resulting in the layoff of over 1,000 workers.
Branding the Federal Government
The demand is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to attach the President’s name to significant public works and institutions. Since the start of his second term, several initiatives have adopted the “Trump” brand, including TrumpRX, a prescription drug platform.
Republican allies in Congress have already laid the groundwork for the airport renaming. In January 2025, Representative Addison McDowell (R-NC) introduced H.R. 691, a bill specifically designed to designate Washington Dulles International Airport as the “Donald J. Trump International Airport.” Co-sponsors of the bill, including Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), have hailed Trump as a “relentless champion” and argued that “Welcome to Trump International Airport” would serve as a symbol of American strength.
Fierce Opposition
The proposal has met with intense resistance from Democratic lawmakers and local officials. Virginia Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), whose district is near Dulles, slammed the move, citing the chaos at the airport during the 2017 travel ban. “Dulles will never be renamed after Trump,” Beyer stated, dismissing the move as a political stunt.
In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul initially responded to the idea of renaming Penn Station with skepticism, though she jokingly remarked in a press conference that the President would “have to pay up” if he wanted his name on the station, suggesting the state would only consider it if the federal government covered the entirety of the renovation costs.
Legal and Economic Fallout
The impasse has now moved into the court system. New York and New Jersey have filed a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that the withholding of Gateway Tunnel funds is unlawful and politically motivated. Legal experts note that while the President has significant leeway over discretionary spending, using congressionally appropriated funds as leverage for personal branding may face stiff challenges in federal court.
As the standoff continues, the future of the Northeast’s rail infrastructure remains in limbo. For now, the “Gateway to the West” and the heart of Manhattan transit remain under their historic names—while $16 billion in federal investment remains out of reach.
Sources and Links
- Axios: Inside Trump’s push to rename Dulles and Penn Station after himself
- The Guardian: White House live updates: Trump ties infrastructure funding to renaming demand
- Punchbowl News: Trump wants Dulles and Penn Station renamed for him
- NBC Palm Springs (CNN Newsource): Trump Ties NY Tunnel Funding to Renaming Penn Station and Dulles Airport
- Congress.gov: H.R.691 – To designate Washington Dulles International Airport as the “Donald J. Trump International Airport”
- Fox News: Dems lose it over GOP plan to rename DC airport after Trump
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service.
The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
