White House Seeks Name Change at Penn Station to Secure Funding for Gateway Tunnel Project
In a move that has sparked widespread criticism, the White House is pushing for the renaming of Penn Station in exchange for unfreezing $16 billion in federal funding for the long-stalled Gateway tunnel project. According to sources, President Donald Trump's team is seeking to rename the iconic station and Washington Dulles International Airport after him in order to revive stalled talks on the massive infrastructure project.
The proposal has been met with fierce resistance from commuters who have made it clear that they are more concerned about reliable transportation than a name change. "It seems like blackmail to me," said one commuter, Brandon Ellis, 40, who arrived at Penn Station on Friday. "If you want to appeal to a narcissist, sure, go ahead... but it's a stupid thing to have to do to get funding that's already been appropriated by Congress."
The Gateway tunnel project, which aims to build new train tunnels beneath the Hudson River, has faced significant delays and funding issues. With commuters eagerly awaiting improvements to the station, Trump's request for a name change in exchange for funding is seen as a non-starter.
Despite opposition from politicians and commuters alike, some have suggested that renaming the station could be a way forward. Governor Kathy Hochul had previously expressed openness to the idea, stating, "If he puts $7 billion into it? Who knows." However, others see Trump's request as a cynical attempt to leverage his name recognition for personal gain.
The federal government took control of Penn Station from the MTA last year and plans to begin a major overhaul in 2027. However, the project is facing significant challenges, including the need to expand capacity or implement a "through-running" system, which would require cooperation between LIRR and NJ Transit trains.
As negotiations between Democrats and the White House continue, it remains to be seen whether Trump's proposal will succeed. With oral arguments set to take place in a court case brought by New York and New Jersey seeking to compel the federal government to unlock Gateway funding, time is running out for this contentious plan.
In a move that has sparked widespread criticism, the White House is pushing for the renaming of Penn Station in exchange for unfreezing $16 billion in federal funding for the long-stalled Gateway tunnel project. According to sources, President Donald Trump's team is seeking to rename the iconic station and Washington Dulles International Airport after him in order to revive stalled talks on the massive infrastructure project.
The proposal has been met with fierce resistance from commuters who have made it clear that they are more concerned about reliable transportation than a name change. "It seems like blackmail to me," said one commuter, Brandon Ellis, 40, who arrived at Penn Station on Friday. "If you want to appeal to a narcissist, sure, go ahead... but it's a stupid thing to have to do to get funding that's already been appropriated by Congress."
The Gateway tunnel project, which aims to build new train tunnels beneath the Hudson River, has faced significant delays and funding issues. With commuters eagerly awaiting improvements to the station, Trump's request for a name change in exchange for funding is seen as a non-starter.
Despite opposition from politicians and commuters alike, some have suggested that renaming the station could be a way forward. Governor Kathy Hochul had previously expressed openness to the idea, stating, "If he puts $7 billion into it? Who knows." However, others see Trump's request as a cynical attempt to leverage his name recognition for personal gain.
The federal government took control of Penn Station from the MTA last year and plans to begin a major overhaul in 2027. However, the project is facing significant challenges, including the need to expand capacity or implement a "through-running" system, which would require cooperation between LIRR and NJ Transit trains.
As negotiations between Democrats and the White House continue, it remains to be seen whether Trump's proposal will succeed. With oral arguments set to take place in a court case brought by New York and New Jersey seeking to compel the federal government to unlock Gateway funding, time is running out for this contentious plan.
I dont get why they gotta do that... its like trading a piece of history just cuz he wants more money 
. ppl at penn station r all about getting reliable trains & not worried about some name change 
. Its just funny cuz hes trying to use his name for personal gain 
. i mean, if he really cared bout the gateway project he should be puttin in more $$
. its all just politics 
.
. I mean, come on, can't they just focus on gettin' the train tunnels done already? It's like, yeah, we get it, the old guy wants his name on a building and a airport... who cares about that when we're still stuck with subpar trains? 
And now you're gonna tie that to $16 billion in funding for the Gateway tunnel project? That's just highway robbery, my friend! 
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. Can't they just focus on making it less crowded and reliable for us commuters? 
. And can you believe they're trying to do it by renaming Penn Station? That's like, totally shady 