Trump Ends NYC’s Crushing Toll Scheme, Hochul Furious Over Lost Revenue
President Donald Trump has struck down New York City’s controversial congestion pricing plan, eliminating a toll that targeted commuters driving into Manhattan’s Central Business District. The move has enraged Gov. Kathy Hochul, who vowed to take the administration to court in an effort to reinstate the program.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy formally notified Hochul of the decision, calling the toll “a slap in the face” to working-class residents and small businesses. Under the plan, drivers would have been charged $9 to enter key areas of the city, a policy critics argued was designed to squeeze more money out of everyday New Yorkers rather than actually reduce traffic congestion.
Duffy pointed out that New Yorkers already pay taxes to maintain highways and should not be forced to pay additional fees just to use roads they have helped fund. He also noted that businesses relying on customers from New Jersey and Connecticut would have suffered under the added costs.
Trump celebrated the decision on Truth Social, declaring, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD… LONG LIVE THE KING!” His post immediately triggered a reaction from Hochul, who responded with, “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king.” She later announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) had filed legal action in federal court to challenge the administration’s decision.
The toll scheme, which had only been in place since early January, was widely criticized by small business owners and blue-collar workers who rely on their vehicles for work. Hochul, despite facing re-election next year, pushed forward with the deeply unpopular plan, making the court battle over the tolls yet another political flashpoint.
Trump’s decision to scrap the program aligns with his broader push to eliminate policies that he sees as unfairly burdening hardworking Americans. The congestion pricing battle may now be moving to the courts, but for the time being, New Yorkers won’t be handing over more of their hard-earned money just to drive into Manhattan.
