Trump Offered To Restore $16B In Funds If Penn Station Was Renamed After Him

NEW YORK CITY — President Donald Trump offered to unfreeze billions of dollars in funds for the Gateway Tunnel project on one condition — Democrats in Congress had to agree to rename Penn Station and Washington Dulles International Airport after him, according to multiple reports.

Trump made the offer during a meeting last month with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, CNN and Gothamist reported.

Schumer, who was meeting with the president in an effort to save the project, immediately rejected the offer, according to the reports.

The reconstruction of Penn Station, now being spearheaded by Amtrak, is closely linked to the Gateway Tunnel project. The new tunnels being built under the Hudson River will serve the station.

While the White House has continued to withhold $16 billion in funds for the project, New York and New Jersey have sued the Trump administration.

The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court by New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. They are asking a judge to rule the funding freeze was unlawful and for payments to resume, so construction can continue.

Construction that has been underway could be forced to shut down as early as Friday if payments aren't released, according to the suit.

The Gateway tunnel project aims to build a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey that would carry Amtrak and other local transit trains.

In addition, they are repairing an existing 116-year-old rail tunnel that was damaged by Super storm Sandy in 2012. Construction work began in 2023 and gained federal funding after approval from then-president Joe Biden.

Governor Mikie Sherrill on Tuesday said if the project stops, around 1,000 workers will lose their jobs and thousands of commuters will lose out on having reliable train service " that makes their lives easier."

"Every time the Trump Administration gets involved, costs go up and working people suffer. The illegal attack on the Gateway Tunnel is yet another example. New Jersey will not back down from this fight," she said.

Governor Kathy Hochul had a one message for Donald Trump and Sean Duffy on Tuesday: "We'll see you in court."

Both governors have not commented yet on the proposed Penn Station rename.