Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul continues to push back against President Donald Trump, characterizing some of the President’s moves — like the attempt to limit congestion pricing in New York City — as federal overreach and others — like his widespread federal worker layoffs — as examples of Trump governing like he’s running a “reality TV” show.
Trump and Hochul first publicly butted heads over the recently implemented congestion pricing program in Midtown Manhattan, a battle that drew added attention for Trump’s boast about his administration’s efforts to kill the program.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
Hochul responded: “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king,” telling Trump, “we’ll see you in court.”
[Note: In January, the New York state-run MTA implemented congestion pricing: $9 for most vehicles to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street. When at Trump’s urging, new Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy threatened to revoke federal approval of program, the MTA filed a lawsuit challenging the move.]
On Monday, Hochul turned up the temperature on her Trump criticism, sharing photos of a new advertising campaign — big bright billboards inside of Penn Station and Grand Central Station — which feature a drawing of the Statue of Liberty with the message: “DOGE said you’re fired? We say: You’re Hired!” and “New York Wants You” with a URL pointing to a NYS job website.
The Trump-Musk administration is treating federal workers like a reality TV stunt.
Our message is clear: New York wants you.
Come work in the greatest state in the nation. pic.twitter.com/QcsgCrYyeR
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) March 3, 2025
With the photos, Hochul wrote on X: “The Trump-Musk administration is treating federal workers like a reality TV stunt. Our message is clear: New York wants you. Come work in the greatest state in the nation.”
Hochul also made a video to accompany the ad campaign. As seen below, the Governor says, “Whatever your skills, we value federal workers,” and “Come join our New York State family.”
Hochul was unequivocal about aiming her criticism squarely at Elon Musk, DOGE and the Trump agenda. “Elon Musk and his clueless cadre of career killers know nothing about how government works, who it serves, and the tireless federal employees who keep it running,” Hochul’s statement reads. “Here in New York we don’t vilify public servants, we value them and their efforts.”
It is easy to find proponents of DOGE’s cuts also, especially among those who have been convinced by the narrative that federal workers are “sycophants” who provide little service and drain taxpayer money. Cutting fat from government is a promise nearly as old as government itself.
In the new Hochul campaign inviting fired workers to seek employment in New York State, the governor is targeting the demonization of federal workers by Musk and the Trump administration. Hochul’s pitch directly contrasts the administration’s disdain for civil servants, disdain most overtly expressed by Russell Vought, Trump’s choice to run the Office of Management and Budget, who has said the goal is for federal workers — “bureaucrats” — to feel traumatized.
“When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. We want their funding to be shut down,” Vought said in a video circulated by ProPublica. “We want to put them in trauma.”