Donald Trump has embarked on a wild Presidents’ Day rant to blast America’s most urgent infrastructure project as as a “boondoggle” and swat down claims about renaming yet another facility after him.
In a lengthy social media tirade on Monday, Trump warned that the Gateway project — the long-planned rail expansion between New York and New Jersey — would spiral beyond its current $16 billion price tag and said that “under no circumstances” would his administration pay for any cost overruns.
Days after his administration agreed to a judge’s orders to release funding for the project, Trump took to Truth Social to describe it as a waste.
“I am opposed to the future boondoggle known as ‘Gateway,’ in New York/New Jersey, because it will cost many BILLIONS OF DOLLARS more than projected or anticipated, much like Gavin Newscum’s “Railroad” to nowhere, which is many times over budget, with no end in sight, and could financially obliterate what is left, after Newscum, of the California Economy,” he wrote.
“It is a disaster!” he insisted.
He also rejected suggestions that he had wanted to rename Penn Station as “Trump Station” after the idea emerged earlier this month, setting off claims and counter-claims about who was pushing for the rebrand.
“The naming of PENN Station (I LOVE Pennsylvania, but it is a direct competitor to New York, and ‘eating New York’s lunch!’) to TRUMP STATION, was brought up by certain politicians and construction union heads, not me,” he insisted.
“IT IS JUST MORE FAKE NEWS!”
Speculation that Penn Station could soon become Trump’s latest vanity project emerged earlier this month after Trump claimed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had offered to rebrand the transport hub in exchange for funding for the Gateway program.
“Chuck Schumer suggested that to me, about changing the name of Penn Station to Trump Station,” Trump said aboard Air Force One.
Schumer, however, denied this instantly, writing on X: “Absolute lie. He knows it. Everyone knows it. Only one man can restart the project and he can restart it with the snap of his fingers.”
The Gateway is a two-track rail tunnel between New York City and New Jersey, designed to rehabilitate and expand the 10-mile Northeast Corridor rail line between Newark, NJ, and New York Penn Station.
However, the project, which has been billed as the most urgent major infrastructure project in the United States. has been suspended for more than four months.
This has left the federal government, which pledged $11 billion of funds, owing about $205 million to the tunnel’s planners, the Gateway Development Commission.
In his statement, Trump said his administration was willing to meet authorities to make sure the project didn’t explode over budget.
“Gateway will likewise be financially catastrophic for the region, unless hard work and proper planning is done, NOW, to avoid insurmountable future cost overruns,” he added.
“Please let this statement represent the fact that, under no circumstances, will the Federal Government be responsible for ANY COST OVERRUNS – NOT ONE DOLLAR!”
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