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Days after suggesting he is above the law, President Donald Trump declared himself “king” following his administration’s intervention to halt a congestion pricing plan in New York City that aimed to generate funds for the city’s aging mass transit system.
Mocking Time Magazine Cover: ‘LONG LIVE THE KING!’
“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD,” Trump proclaimed on Truth Social on Wednesday. “Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
The White House’s official X account later amplified his statement, sharing a mocked-up Time magazine cover depicting the president wearing a crown. The image bore the caption “long live the king.” Additionally, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich shared an AI-generated image of Trump wearing both a crown and a regal cape, further fueling the celebratory tone of the administration’s decision.
White House Moves to Terminate Congestion Pricing Program, Trump Calls Himself King
On the same day, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, detailing the president’s objections to the congestion pricing plan. Duffy indicated that federal officials would be coordinating with state authorities for the “orderly cessation of toll operations.”
Calling the program “backwards and unfair,” Duffy argued that the policy was a “slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners.”
Governor Hochul, however, strongly rebuffed the administration’s move, emphasizing the importance of the program to the city’s economy and daily life.
“Public transit is the lifeblood of New York City and critical to our economic future—as a New Yorker, like President Trump, knows very well,” Hochul responded.
Trump’s Power Play and Legal Fallout
Trump’s assertion of authority in this matter follows a controversial statement he made recently: “he who saves his Country does not violate any Law.” The White House’s official X accounts also shared the quote, signaling what appeared to be an endorsement of the idea that the president is above legal scrutiny.
The administration’s move against congestion pricing is part of a broader effort by Trump to consolidate power. On Tuesday, he issued an executive order granting himself regulatory control over independent agencies created by Congress, effectively barring them from disagreeing with him. The move has sparked significant legal and constitutional challenges.
In response to the federal government’s sudden reversal on congestion pricing, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) filed a lawsuit against Duffy and federal transportation officials on Wednesday. The suit argues that the Trump administration’s actions were unlawful and “precipitously—and for blatantly political reasons—purported to ‘terminate’ the program, as then-candidate Trump proclaimed he would do in his first week in office.”
If the court sides with Trump, the MTA stands to lose more than $15 billion in projected revenue earmarked for crucial upgrades to New York City’s mass transit system. The city’s subway system alone serves more than 3.6 million riders daily, while an additional 1.4 million people rely on buses.
Backlash from City Officials
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander also condemned the administration’s decision, calling it “another instance of federal overreach by the Trump administration.”
“I am appalled by this blatant disregard for the needs of New Yorkers,” Lander said.
While Trump was celebrating his announcement, New York City Mayor Eric Adams was engaged in legal battles of his own. Adams was in a federal courthouse on Wednesday as a judge questioned his attorneys and a deputy assistant U.S. attorney general regarding the Department of Justice’s motion to drop federal corruption charges against him. The mayor has been accused of entering into a quid pro quo arrangement that would see his charges dismissed in exchange for supporting Trump’s hardline immigration policies.
Governor Hochul has met with New York City officials regarding Adams’s future and has not ruled out ordering his removal from office.
A White House Meeting That Never Happened
Governor Hochul had initially been scheduled to meet with President Trump at the White House last week to discuss the congestion pricing plan. However, those discussions were abandoned after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit against the state and top officials over local immigration policies. Notably, Mayor Adams was not among the defendants in the lawsuit.
With legal challenges mounting on multiple fronts, Trump’s decision to derail New York City’s congestion pricing plan is expected to face significant pushback in the courts. Whether his administration can unilaterally halt the program remains to be seen, but for now, the president is basking in what he calls a victory for New York drivers—crowned, at least in jest, as the self-proclaimed king.
