White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that President Trump proposed his name be placed on New York’s Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport during a discussion he had with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The press secretary’s statement contradicts Trump’s earlier claim that Schumer was the one who made the suggestion. “It was something the president floated in his conversation with Chuck Schumer,” she said during a press briefing. “And as I mentioned earlier, the President has spoken to a different issue regarding rail funding.”
The press secretary’s announcement came as Trump earlier claimed Schumer wanted to rename Penn Station and Dulles Airport as part of a deal to support New York’s rail tunnel project, which connects New York and New Jersey. However, Schumer denied Trump’s claim, saying Trump was the one who made the suggestion. Schumer wrote 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 controversy came as a judge ordered the government to release up to $200 million in withheld rail funds as part of a deal to support New York’s rail tunnel project, which is often referred to as a $16 billion project. The judge temporarily halted his earlier order to allow the government to appeal his decision, according to Reuters.
Although press secretary Leavitt did not say Trump’s suggestion was moving forward, she made the announcement as Trump and his supporters continue to push forward a branding initiative. The Kennedy Center’s board voted to rename the center to the Trump Kennedy Center in late 2025, and Trump’s name has been added to its signage. The State Department announced it renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace to the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.
Trump announced his administration’s branding initiatives, such as TrumpRx.gov, which is part of his plan to reduce prescription drug costs.
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