Trump Declares Himself ‘King’ After Killing NYC Congestion Pricing Plan, Alarming Critics Once Again

by Angie SchlagerFebruary 21, 2025, 6:24 pmNews >

President Donald Trump hailed his administration’s move to strike down New York City’s congestion pricing toll program, declaring himself “the king” in a social media post.

“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The White House’s X account shared his statement, accompanied by a digitally altered Time magazine cover depicting Trump in a crown with Manhattan in the background.

The congestion pricing plan, which charged drivers a $9 toll to enter parts of Manhattan, aimed to reduce traffic and generate revenue for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opponents, including New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D), had long pushed for its repeal.

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy formalized the decision in a letter to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, stating that federal officials would work with the state to ensure the “orderly cessation of toll operations.” He called the program “backwards and unfair,” arguing it burdened working-class Americans and small businesses.

Hochul forcefully rejected the decision and Trump’s rhetoric, holding up the same image of the president at a briefing Wednesday. “New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years, and we sure as hell are not going to start now,” she said to applause.

She vowed to fight back, invoking New York’s resilience. “In case you don’t know New Yorkers, when we’re in a fight, we do not back down – not now, not ever,” Hochul declared, citing legal arguments she believes will prevail.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber confirmed that the agency had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. “Within minutes of receiving that letter, our MTA filed a lawsuit,” he told ABC News. “And let me be clear—the cameras are staying on. The tolls are staying on.”

Lieber emphasized the program’s early success, stating that since its implementation last month, traffic in Manhattan had dropped 9%, bus speeds had increased, and crashes had declined. “This is working,” he said.

Trump’s latest assertion of executive power comes amid his broader claims of unchecked presidential authority. Critics condemned his post, with Hochul reiterating, “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king.”