Governor Kathy Hochul fiercely condemned the Trump administration’s decision to terminate New York’s congestion pricing program, framing it as an attack on the state’s sovereignty and vowing an immediate legal challenge.
Speaking Wednesday alongside MTA Chairman Janno Lieber, Hochul revealed that the U.S. Department of Transportation had officially notified New York of its decision to block the program. The rejection came via an email from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy at 1:01 p.m., followed by a social media post from President Donald Trump proclaiming, “Long live the king.”
“I’m here to say, New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years, and we sure as hell are not going to start now,” Hochul declared. “New Yorkers do not back down—not now, not ever.”
The congestion pricing plan, which would have charged drivers entering Manhattan’s central business district, was designed to reduce traffic, improve air quality, and fund critical transit infrastructure. Hochul framed the administration’s move as political retribution, arguing that Trump was targeting New York in a “revenge tour.”
Hochul also criticized the administration for citing opposition from New Jersey as justification for blocking the program. “Ignoring the will of the people who live here, their elected leaders in Albany, and all of a sudden, the Trump administration is citing, ‘New Jersey isn’t happy,’” she scoffed. “This is about our independence from Washington.”
She stressed that the decision would have real consequences for New Yorkers, warning that transit service could decline, traffic congestion would worsen, and infrastructure projects could be delayed. “The next time you’re stuck in traffic, the next time your train is delayed, the next time you’re in a flooded station because infrastructure repairs were not made, I want you to think of this,” Hochul said.
Within minutes of receiving the federal notice, the MTA filed a lawsuit to challenge the decision. Hochul expressed confidence that the state would prevail in court. “We are in fight mode,” she said. “The cameras are staying on. Lights, cameras, action. They’re staying on.”
As the legal battle unfolds, Hochul’s aggressive stance underscores the deepening tensions between New York and the Trump administration, with congestion pricing now at the center of a broader struggle over state autonomy and transit policy.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].