Trump isn't the 'king' of New York. We don't even like him. | Opinion
No one asked for Trump to interfere here, yet he's doing so. Republicans feel New York is a place to make an example out of, where they can 'own the libs.'
President Donald Trump’s Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that it would rescind a federal agreement on congestion toll pricing in New York City, effectively killing the controversial program.
“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD,” The White House X account posted, along with a mock magazine cover of Trump in a crown. “Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
Gov. Kathy Hochul was quick to respond to Trump's ridiculous declaration, holding a news conference later that day. “New York hasn't labored under a king in over 250 years and we sure as hell are not going to start now,” Hochul said.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has also responded with a lawsuit, filed Wednesday, alleging that the Trump administration's decision was “for blatantly political reasons.”
New York is trying to fight back beyond the congestion pricing saga. On Friday, the city sued Trump after the administration took back $80 million that was supposed to be for migrant services.
This isn’t the first time Trump has gone after New York’s progressive policies. In his first month in office, he’s spent a considerable amount of time focused on his hometown – probably because he knows just how much New Yorkers dislike him.
New Yorkers have always known Trump is a joke
Under congestion pricing, most drivers are charged $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. The plan, which has been met with both celebration and skepticism, will help raise an estimated $15 billion for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) for a series of projects.
But all that is just more of those pointless facts Trump and Republicans don't care about. This is about something else.
New Yorkers knew who Trump was before he ascended to the highest office in the land. They remember the sleazy businessman of the 1980s, the man who took out full-page ads against the innocent "Central Park Five" and declared bankruptcy six times.
It’s probably why the Queens native has never won his home city or state.
Still, that isn’t stopping the president from trying to exert authority over America’s largest city.
Trump interfered in the federal case against the city’s mayor, Eric Adams. On Friday, a federal judge indefinitely delayed the date for Adams’ corruption trial after the Justice Department moved to dismiss the charges against the mayor.
In exchange, it seems Adams is looking to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement despite New York’s “sanctuary city” status.
There is also a lawsuit against the state of New York filed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi attacking the state's immigration policies.
The attacks are coming from the entire Republican Party, not just Trump. Earlier this month, a Louisiana grand jury indicted a New York doctor who allegedly prescribed abortion pills online for a patient in the state. New York has refused to extradite the doctor.
All of this is happening because New York is defiantly blue. Republicans feel New York is a place to make an example of, where they can “own the libs” by attacking the sovereignty of the city and state.
No one asked for Trump to interfere here, yet he’s doing so.
New York took too long to fight Trump
New Yorkers don’t need Trump to make the city great. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like anyone is trying to stop him. New York failed to follow in California’s footsteps and did not “Trump-proof” the state after the 2024 election, like setting aside $50 million for potential legal battles with the administration.
New York clearly could have benefitted from similar planning.
It’s good that Hochul is taking a stand against Trump, something that all Democrats should be doing right now. It would be better if there were more we could do beyond simply letting everything play out in the courts. It’s going to take more than that to keep Trump’s agenda from radically transforming every part of the United States, not just the red parts.
In the meantime, Trump will continue begging New Yorkers to pay attention to him. We must keep him from making New York his playground once again because many of us have known what he is this whole time.
Follow Paste BN columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno