NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Will President 鈥檚 name grace one of the most famous — and sometimes maligned — landmarks in his hometown of New York City?
The Republican administration this week urged leading U.S. Senators to rename Penn Station as it undertakes a redesign of the dreary, underground Manhattan transit hub that also happens to be the busiest in the western hemisphere.
But the U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in a Wednesday letter seeking congressional funding approval for the rehab and other major transportation priorities, stopped short of saying what the station鈥檚 moniker should be changed to.
Spokespersons for the transportation agency provided the letter but didn鈥檛 respond to follow up questions Thursday.
Duffy has made it no secret he would welcome seeing his current boss鈥� name etched across the rail station鈥檚 facade.
鈥淚 imagine you鈥檙e asking, 鈥橧s this going to be Trump Station?’ 鈥� the former Wisconsin congressman as officials sought bids for the project鈥檚 master developer. 鈥淚 think that has a nice ring to it.鈥�
Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, when asked earlier this year, simply responded: 鈥� ?鈥�
In his second White House stint, the term-limited Republican has sought to burnish his legacy through public works projects, from a to and a failed attempt to . Earlier this month, Florida’s Palm Beach airport to the President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
Trump has said name change idea wasn’t his
Trump, for his part, has acknowledged a possible name change was floated in talks with the Senate鈥檚 top Democrat, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, of New York.
But he at the notion that he suggested it in exchange for unfreezing federal funding for the , a major rail tunnel running under the Hudson River from Penn Station into New Jersey.
鈥淐huck Schumer suggested that to me, about changing the name of Penn Station to Trump Station,鈥� Trump said earlier this year aboard Air Force One.
At the same time, he argued that it doesn鈥檛 make much sense for such a major New York landmark to be named after another state.
鈥淚 LOVE Pennsylvania, but it is a direct competitor to New York, and 鈥榚ating New York鈥檚 lunch!鈥�,鈥� on his social media platform Truth Social as he stressed the renaming idea was 鈥渂rought up by certain politicians and construction union heads, not me.鈥�
New York’s Pennsylvania Station, like a handful of others in the country, is named after the Pennsylvania Railroad, the now defunct passenger rail company that built the once grand midtown station.
Opened in 1910, the original station was considered a marvel of the Beaux Arts style, with imposing, Roman-style columns and an expansive waiting area.
It was razed in 1963 to make way for Madison Square Garden, forcing commuters to navigate cramped corridors and dingy train platforms underneath the famous arena.
Recently released renderings call for a return to the hub鈥檚 original classical style, with a stone facade, rows of columns and a grand concourse with soaring ceilings. 0ne inside wall also bears Trump鈥檚 seal and name.
Critics slam name-change idea
U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, a Manhattan Democrat, said Duffy鈥檚 letter underscores how the Trump administration is 鈥渨aging a hostile takeover of Penn Station鈥� and seeking to 鈥渟trip control鈥� from local authorities.
鈥淚 strongly oppose this ridiculous proposal and am once again demanding answers on the funding,鈥� he . 鈥淣ew York taxpayers and transit riders must not be forced to foot the bill for a Trump vanity project.鈥�
The Riders Alliance, a local transit advocacy group, said the renaming idea was 鈥渁nother huge red flag鈥� that the Penn Station project could become 鈥渁nother multibillion dollar vanity boondoggle.鈥�
鈥淲e should be talking about improving service, saving time and money, not monuments, ribbon cuttings or nameplates,鈥� spokesperson Danny Pearlstein said in a statement.
The Trump administration ordered Amtrak, the national passenger rail service, to of the massive redesign last year.
For years, the Penn Station project had been mired in political infighting among the local transit agencies that use the station. James Dolan, the billionaire owner of the NBA鈥檚 New York Knicks and NHL鈥檚 New York Rangers, has also strongly opposed any plans to relocate MSG.
The current plans would keep the famous arena, where Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce , but demolish a theater located on the site.
Spokespersons for Amtrak referred questions to the federal transportation department. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New Jersey Transit, which run trains from the station, didn鈥檛 immediately comment.
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