New York Governor Kathy Hochul advocated for Manhattan’s congestion tolling during a meeting in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump, after federal officials requested a pause on the program, according to a representative of the Democratic governor.
Hochul and Trump met for over an hour on Friday afternoon, discussing various topics including immigration, infrastructure, economic development, energy, offshore wind, and nuclear power, as stated by press secretary Avi Small. He noted that Hochul shared a booklet with Trump outlining the initial successes of congestion pricing.
Small refrained from providing further details about the discussion. The White House has not yet responded to a request for comment made via email on Saturday.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration ordered a halt to the program, which began on January 5, aiming to reduce traffic and fund mass transit by charging a $9 toll on most vehicles entering Manhattan’s core south of Central Park. Transit officials reported that the toll has resulted in modest but measurable traffic reductions.
In spite of the federal directive, the tolls are currently remaining in effect due to a federal lawsuit filed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees public transit in New York City, that seeks to keep them operational. Hochul indicated that the tolls would persist while the lawsuit is ongoing.
The Republican president, whose Trump Tower penthouse and other properties fall within the congestion zone, declared a win following Wednesday’s announcement.
“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED,” Trump stated on his social media platform, adding, “LONG LIVE THE KING!” The White House subsequently shared a picture of Trump wearing a crown against the backdrop of the New York skyline.
Hochul quickly responded.
“New York hasn’t been ruled by a king in over 250 years,” she said at a news conference at Grand Central Terminal, one of the city’s major train hubs. “We certainly are not going to start now.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the federal government was revoking its approval of the program, describing the tolls as “a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners.”
The congestion tolling initiative has sparked division in New York, with much of the opposition stemming from suburban commuters and residents in areas poorly served by the subway system. Proponents argue that it presents a creative solution to ease traffic and diminish air pollution.
New York officials and the Trump administration have also clashed over various matters.
Hochul has criticized the administration and the Justice Department for attempting to dismiss an alleged corruption case involving New York Mayor Eric Adams.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit this month against Hochul and the state’s attorney general regarding a law that allows individuals who may not be in the U.S. legally to obtain driver’s licenses, claiming it contradicts federal immigration enforcement efforts.
This month, Trump aide Elon Musk criticized federal payments meant to reimburse New York City for hotel expenses related to migrants, resulting in a suspension of those payments and the dismissal of four federal employees. The Federal Emergency Management Agency reclaimed over $80 million from the city for migrant sheltering expenses, leading to a lawsuit.
Meanwhile, state Attorney General Letitia James and her Democratic peers in other states have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration over matters such as Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency gaining access to federal payment systems that contain sensitive personal data of Americans, as well as the administration’s attempt to freeze federal funding.
