Donald Trump‘s plan to rename Penn Station just hit a major roadblock in the Senate. A top Democratic leader vowed to block any legislation tied to the proposed name change for the nation’s busiest transit hub.
Senator Schumer has vowed to block bill related to Penn Station’s name change
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has pledged to stop any legislation aimed at renaming New York’s Penn Station, according to ABC7 New York. His response follows Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s recent push to include a name change in the station’s rebuilding plans.
In a letter to Senate leaders last week, Duffy urged Congress to reauthorize funding for several transportation projects. The letter specifically requested lawmakers to “direct Amtrak to rename New York Penn Station.” Duffy also sought an additional one billion dollars in grant funding for the station’s design and construction phases.
The Department of Transportation did not officially confirm the new name. Still, Duffy previously suggested a possible name during a public appearance last summer. “Is this going to be Trump station? I think that has a nice ring to it,” Duffy said.
Schumer pushed back strongly, insisting the station requires renovation rather than a rebrand. “Any transportation bill, any bill that renames Penn Station for Trump is dead in the United States Senate,” Schumer said. “I will block it. It ain’t happening, Donald Trump. Forget about it. Or, as we say in New York, forget about it,” he added.
Penn Station currently operates as the busiest transit hub in the Western Hemisphere. The facility is scheduled to undergo a long-anticipated eight billion dollar overhaul managed by Amtrak. Work on the project is expected to begin in 2027.
The station was originally named by the now-defunct Pennsylvania Railroad in 1910. Commuters like Larry Walker emphasized that upgrades should take priority over naming debates. “Penn Station has been ill for quite some time, and it needs help,” Walker said. “When you look around the country, you see other transit locations and they’re in good shape. New York’s a little behind,” he added.
