Trump acts to eliminate congestion pricing in NYC
The withdrawal of federal support for the tolls is anticipated to lead to legal action from their supporters.
TroibNews 
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he is moving to terminate a controversial toll plan for Manhattan, casting uncertainty over billions of dollars earmarked for the region’s mass transit system.
The withdrawal of federal support for the tolls led to immediate legal actions against the Trump administration from supporters, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
In a social media post, Trump declared, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
These statements from Trump followed a more formal action by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who rescinded the necessary approval for the New York tolls, which had been set to start in early January.
“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” Duffy stated. He noted that “commuters using the highway system to enter New York City have already financed the construction and improvement of these highways through the payment of gas taxes and other taxes.”
The decision by the Trump administration was first reported by The New York Post.
Janno Lieber, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, stated that the mass transit agency has filed legal documents in federal court to maintain the program. He remarked, “It’s mystifying that after four years and 4,000 pages of federally-supervised environmental review – and barely three months after giving final approval to the Congestion Relief Program – USDOT would seek to totally reverse course.”
Hochul expressed her support for the MTA's legal actions. “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king,” she said. “The MTA has initiated legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York to preserve this critical program. We’ll see you in court.”
The Trump administration’s move, however, is a setback for Hochul and her allies, who had spent recent weeks promoting the advantages of the tolls, such as reduced traffic congestion.
Tolls for vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street began on January 5, after Hochul postponed the initiative over worries that it would negatively affect competitive Democratic House candidates. She reinstated the toll plan in November and reduced the fee from $15 to $9.
Supporters of congestion pricing, which include a diverse group of mass transit advocates and business leaders, attempted to persuade Trump of the program’s potential to help finance significant infrastructure improvements for the city’s bus and subway systems.
The anticipated revenue of $1 billion per year from the tolls was expected to support $15 billion in municipal bonds to enhance the region’s struggling mass transit system.
"Public transit riders won congestion relief and are now enjoying faster and more reliable bus service from throughout New York and New Jersey,” said Betsy Plum, Executive Director of Riders Alliance. “We organized for a decade, held two governors accountable, and prevailed in court in three states after years of exhaustive environmental studies. We are committed to maintaining and expanding on our victory and will defend it with everything we have."
Despite this, Trump remained unconvinced, having previously criticized congestion pricing during his presidential campaign. “The president of the United States who regularly came into Manhattan, who worked out of Trump Tower in the last four years, saw the signs going up and saw the impact of congestion pricing,” said New York Conservative Party Chair Gerry Kassar. “He’s a New Yorker who saw the detriment congestion pricing was bringing to the city.”
The decision drew criticism from New York’s influential construction sector, which is already grappling with uncertainty due to tariffs and concerns regarding future infrastructure spending initiatives from former President Joe Biden's administration. “The withdrawal of federal support for congestion pricing is grossly shortsighted,” Carlo Scissura, head of the New York Building Congress, commented.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who has filed a lawsuit against the tolls, was among some Democrats who welcomed Trump's decision. On the day of Trump’s inauguration, Murphy sent a letter to him, echoing Trump’s criticism of congestion pricing as a “disaster.” “I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Duffy for their efforts to halt the current congestion pricing program in Manhattan’s Central Business District,” Murphy said in a statement.
Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who has also opposed congestion pricing and is running for governor, praised the administration's action. “They never cared about how the tax would hurt Jersey families — they just needed the cash to pay for the MTA’s woeful mismanagement,” Gottheimer stated.
Duffy, in a letter to Hochul sent on Wednesday, referenced Murphy’s concerns about the program and emphasized the broader issues Trump has raised about the tolls' impact on commuters. “I share the president’s concerns about the impacts to working class Americans who now have an additional financial burden to account for in their daily lives,” he wrote.
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
The withdrawal of federal support for the tolls led to immediate legal actions against the Trump administration from supporters, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
In a social media post, Trump declared, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
These statements from Trump followed a more formal action by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who rescinded the necessary approval for the New York tolls, which had been set to start in early January.
“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” Duffy stated. He noted that “commuters using the highway system to enter New York City have already financed the construction and improvement of these highways through the payment of gas taxes and other taxes.”
The decision by the Trump administration was first reported by The New York Post.
Janno Lieber, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, stated that the mass transit agency has filed legal documents in federal court to maintain the program. He remarked, “It’s mystifying that after four years and 4,000 pages of federally-supervised environmental review – and barely three months after giving final approval to the Congestion Relief Program – USDOT would seek to totally reverse course.”
Hochul expressed her support for the MTA's legal actions. “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king,” she said. “The MTA has initiated legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York to preserve this critical program. We’ll see you in court.”
The Trump administration’s move, however, is a setback for Hochul and her allies, who had spent recent weeks promoting the advantages of the tolls, such as reduced traffic congestion.
Tolls for vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street began on January 5, after Hochul postponed the initiative over worries that it would negatively affect competitive Democratic House candidates. She reinstated the toll plan in November and reduced the fee from $15 to $9.
Supporters of congestion pricing, which include a diverse group of mass transit advocates and business leaders, attempted to persuade Trump of the program’s potential to help finance significant infrastructure improvements for the city’s bus and subway systems.
The anticipated revenue of $1 billion per year from the tolls was expected to support $15 billion in municipal bonds to enhance the region’s struggling mass transit system.
"Public transit riders won congestion relief and are now enjoying faster and more reliable bus service from throughout New York and New Jersey,” said Betsy Plum, Executive Director of Riders Alliance. “We organized for a decade, held two governors accountable, and prevailed in court in three states after years of exhaustive environmental studies. We are committed to maintaining and expanding on our victory and will defend it with everything we have."
Despite this, Trump remained unconvinced, having previously criticized congestion pricing during his presidential campaign. “The president of the United States who regularly came into Manhattan, who worked out of Trump Tower in the last four years, saw the signs going up and saw the impact of congestion pricing,” said New York Conservative Party Chair Gerry Kassar. “He’s a New Yorker who saw the detriment congestion pricing was bringing to the city.”
The decision drew criticism from New York’s influential construction sector, which is already grappling with uncertainty due to tariffs and concerns regarding future infrastructure spending initiatives from former President Joe Biden's administration. “The withdrawal of federal support for congestion pricing is grossly shortsighted,” Carlo Scissura, head of the New York Building Congress, commented.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who has filed a lawsuit against the tolls, was among some Democrats who welcomed Trump's decision. On the day of Trump’s inauguration, Murphy sent a letter to him, echoing Trump’s criticism of congestion pricing as a “disaster.” “I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Duffy for their efforts to halt the current congestion pricing program in Manhattan’s Central Business District,” Murphy said in a statement.
Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who has also opposed congestion pricing and is running for governor, praised the administration's action. “They never cared about how the tax would hurt Jersey families — they just needed the cash to pay for the MTA’s woeful mismanagement,” Gottheimer stated.
Duffy, in a letter to Hochul sent on Wednesday, referenced Murphy’s concerns about the program and emphasized the broader issues Trump has raised about the tolls' impact on commuters. “I share the president’s concerns about the impacts to working class Americans who now have an additional financial burden to account for in their daily lives,” he wrote.
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
