WASHINGTON — The Trump administration offered to release funds for the Hudson Tunnel project if New York Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport are renamed for President Donald Trump, according to multiple news reports.
ABC News, citing “two sources familiar with the conversation,” reports Trump made the offer to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) last month. Schumer rejected the offer, according to ABC; CNN reports Schumer told the president he did not have the power to deliver on the request.
CNN said a Schumer representative declined comment and the White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Among other sites reporting the offer are NBC, Politico, and Axios. They say Punchbowl News first reported the offer. That story is paywalled.
The federal government, which has committed to providing 70% of the funding for the $16 billion project, has been withholding funds since October. Officials with the Gateway Development Commission, which oversees the project, say work will have to halt as of today (Friday, Feb. 6) if funding is not released [see “Hudson Tunnel project could halt …,” Trains.com, Jan. 28, 2026]. The commission and the states of New York and New Jersey have filed lawsuits seeking to force the release of the money [see “New York, New Jersey sue …,” Feb. 4, 2026].
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