New York native and U.S. President Donald Trump celebrated the halting of the current congestion pricing program in New York City on Wednesday. The POTUS wrote on social media: “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who wasn’t initially confident about implementing congestion pricing and then implemented the program in January, responded to the President’s post defiantly at a press conference, vowing that the toll cameras will stay on.
Hochul noted that the city hasn’t labored under a king for 250 years and “we’re sure as hell not going to start now.”
She added: “I don’t care if you love congestion pricing or hate it, this is an attack on our sovereign identity, our independence from Washington. We are not subservient to a King or anyone else out of Washington.”
Donald Trump isn’t a “king” and we won’t let him use New Yorkers as roadkill on his revenge tour.
We’ll see him in court. pic.twitter.com/kVB43hbjQu
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) February 19, 2025
Democratic Governor Phil Murphy in New Jersey, a New York neighbor also impacted by the tolls, addressed Trump and Duffy differently.
Note: According to 2022 data, approximately 447,000 New Jerseyans commute to New York City every day.
Murphy, who had unsuccessfully sued to block the congestion pricing program, wrote on X: “I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Duffy for their efforts to halt the current congestion pricing program. While I have consistently expressed openness to a form of congestion pricing, the current program lines the MTA’s pockets at the expense of New Jerseyans.”
I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Duffy for their efforts to halt the current congestion pricing program.
While I have consistently expressed openness to a form of congestion pricing, the current program lines the MTA’s pockets at the expense of New Jerseyans. pic.twitter.com/PNr3qZ8ADE
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) February 19, 2025
Murphy tends to agree more often with Hochul than Trump on most issues.
Last week, Murphy said New Jersey would stockpile abortion drugs to get around any additional limits on abortion access made by the Trump administration. And this week, Hochul denied Republican Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry‘s request to extradite a New York doctor who provided legal (in New York) FDA-approved abortion medication via mail to a patient in Louisiana (where it is illegal).
As seen below, Hochul explains that according to the reproductive health laws of the state, which were enacted before the overturning of Roe v. Wade, she nor any governor in the future, can honor Landry’s request.
Hochul announced: “In accordance with the laws of the state, I do not recognize this request,” and signed her rejection.
Last week, I received a request to extradite a New York doctor who provided life-saving abortion medication to a patient.
Today, I’ve sent a letter to Louisiana with a clear message: I will not be signing the request.
Not now. Not ever. pic.twitter.com/TeelqIi19B
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) February 20, 2025