Trump Administration Plans $8 Billion Renovation of New York's Penn Station, Sparking Debate Over Renaming to 'Trump Station'

Central Message

(Central News Agency, New York, 23rd - Comprehensive International Report) The Trump administration in the United States plans to invest $8 billion to renovate 'Pennsylvania Station' in Manhattan, New York. This week, it urged U.S. Senators to approve the project, but whether the station will be renamed 'Trump Station' has sparked widespread debate.

According to an Associated Press report, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter yesterday to the federal Congress seeking approval for funding of this renovation and other major transportation projects. However, the letter did not explicitly state what Pennsylvania Station should be renamed.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation provided the letter today but did not respond to follow-up questions.

Duffy has consistently expressed enthusiasm for naming the station after President Trump. Last summer, when officials were recruiting developers for the renovation project, Duffy said, 'I guess you're going to ask, 'Is this going to be Trump Station?' I think that sounds pretty good.'

Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, when asked about the matter earlier this year, simply responded: 'Why not?'

During his second presidential term, Trump has actively pursued public works projects to leave a political legacy, including renovating the White House banquet hall, constructing a triumphal arch, and attempting—unsuccessfully—to rename the Kennedy Center. Earlier this month, Palm Beach International Airport in Florida was officially renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport.

However, Trump claims the idea to rename Pennsylvania Station did not originate with him, but was 'proposed by certain politicians and construction union leaders.' Yet he previously admitted that Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer 'suggested to me that we rename Pennsylvania Station to Trump Station.'

Jerry Nadler, a Democratic U.S. Representative from Manhattan, said Duffy's letter highlights how the Trump administration is 'launching a hostile takeover of Penn Station' and attempting to 'strip control from local authorities.'

Nadler posted on social media X: 'I strongly oppose this absurd proposal and again demand details on funding... New York taxpayers and commuters must not be forced to pay for Trump's vanity projects.'

Danny Pearlstein, a spokesperson for the local transit advocacy group Riders Alliance, said in a statement: 'We should be discussing service improvements, saving time and money—not monuments, ribbon-cuttings, or plaques.'

New York's Pennsylvania Station, like several other stations across the country with the same name, is named after the Pennsylvania Railroad. This passenger rail company originally built the once-grand station in Midtown Manhattan, but the company has long since ceased operations. (Translation: Chang Ming-Hsuan) 1150724