White House Press Secretary Contradicts Trump on Penn Station Renaming Proposal
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has publicly contradicted claims made by President Donald Trump regarding the proposed renaming of New York's Penn Station. In a statement on Tuesday, Leavitt indicated that it was the president's own idea to rename the station after himself, directly conflicting with Trump's previous assertions.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge
"It was something the president floated in his conversation with Chuck Schumer," Leavitt said Tuesday when questioned about Trump's interest in changing the building's name. She added, "Why not?" as justification for the proposal.
This statement directly contradicts Trump's claim from Friday that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had suggested renaming both Penn Station and Virginia's Dulles International Airport after the president. "He suggested that to me," Trump told reporters while traveling to Mar-a-Lago. "Chuck Schumer suggested that to me, about changing the name of Penn Station to Trump Station. Dulles Airport is really separate."
Schumer's Angry Rebuttal
Following Trump's initial comments, Schumer posted an angry rebuttal online, writing: "Absolute lie. He knows it. Everyone knows it. Only one man can restart the project and he can restart it with the snap of his fingers."
As of Tuesday night, Schumer had not yet responded to Leavitt's contradictory claims. The Independent has contacted the New York senator's office for additional comment on this developing situation.
Gateway Tunnel Project Funding Dispute
The controversy emerges amid reports that Trump offered to unfreeze millions in federal funds for a $16 billion New York infrastructure project if Schumer agreed to rename the transportation facilities. Trump froze $200 million in federal funding for the Gateway Tunnel Project in October, despite congressional approval of the funds.
This project, which would connect New York and New Jersey while replacing aging infrastructure between the states, cannot proceed without the release of these frozen funds. The Gateway Development Commission has sued the federal government over the funding freeze, with Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan ruling against the Trump administration and ordering the release of funds on Friday.
Legal Battles Continue
Following the court ruling, the Department for Transport applied for a temporary restraining order while appealing the decision, arguing there would be no "obvious mechanism" for recovering the money if forced to release it. Work on the project had not resumed as of Tuesday, with a hearing scheduled for Wednesday to determine next steps.
Political Reactions Intensify
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill criticized the administration's delays, stating: "I took the president to court on Friday, and I won. The court demanded release that money, and he has yet to do so. Here we are, all this equipment waiting to be put to work, all of you not on the job, because the president of the United States cares more about politics than he does about working men and women in this country."
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York also reacted strongly to the reported naming deal, posting on social media: "These naming rights aren't tradable as part of any negotiations, and neither is the dignity of New Yorkers. I demand that the president put people first and unfreeze this project and all the others his administration has been holding hostage for his personal gain."
The Trump administration has not provided specific reasons for freezing the funds and has blamed Democrats for refusing to negotiate to restart the project. The Independent has contacted both the White House and Department of Transport for additional comments on this ongoing controversy.
