President Donald Trump Could Get NYC’s Penn Station Named After Himself Under New Push

New York City’s Penn Station — the busiest transportation hub in the country — may soon debut a new name.

The New York Times reported on July 23 that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter this week to three Senate committees confirming that renaming the station is an “administration priority.”

Duffy stopped short of specifying what the new name would be, but the push follows months of news that President Donald Trump has tied his support for federal funding to the station carrying his name.

In February, NBC News reported that President Trump allegedly gave lawmakers a direct ultimatum — rename Penn Station after him, or lose access to federal funds for the Gateway Tunnel project connecting New York and New Jersey. The station, which handles around 600,000 travelers daily, has long been criticized as confusing and outdated.

The $16.1 billion project centers on a new railway tunnel beneath the Hudson River, linking New Jersey and New York. It spent years mired in delays and setbacks before getting a significant financial boost in 2024, when the Biden administration committed an additional $6.9 billion in federal funding, according to the outlet.

Not everyone is pleased with the idea of renaming the station after President Trump.

Congressman Jerry Nadler, whose district includes Penn Station, pushed back sharply after news of the potential rename broke.

“After months of hiding from the public, Sean Duffy has confirmed that the Trump administration is waging a hostile takeover of Penn Station, including delivering Trump his dream of renaming Penn Station after himself,” Nadler wrote on X on July 23. “I strongly oppose this ridiculous proposal and am once again demanding answers on the funding.”

No official name change has been announced.