Trump Denies Proposing Renaming Penn Station After Himself

Former president says he did not suggest tying federal funding to name changes.

Feb. 17, 2026 at 12:15pm

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Former President Donald Trump has denied reports that he proposed renaming New York's Penn Station and Washington's Dulles International Airport after himself in exchange for federal funding for infrastructure projects. Trump pushed back on media accounts that he offered to unfreeze billions in federal funds for a new rail tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey if the stations were renamed "Trump Station."

Why it matters

The proposed renaming of major transportation hubs after a sitting or former president would be highly unusual and controversial, raising concerns about political influence over public infrastructure. Trump's denial of the reports could indicate an attempt to distance himself from the idea or avoid further backlash.

The details

According to media reports, during negotiations over federal funding for the Gateway Program to build a new rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey, Trump allegedly offered to release the funds if the stations were renamed after him. However, Trump has now denied making any such proposal, stating that he did not bring up the idea of renaming Penn Station as "Trump Station."

  • On Monday, February 16, 2026, Trump denied the reports about renaming the stations.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States.

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What they’re saying

“I did not bring that up. I would not be inclined to do that.”

— Donald Trump

The takeaway

The proposed renaming of major transportation hubs after a president would be highly unusual and raise concerns about political influence over public infrastructure. Trump's denial of the reports suggests an attempt to distance himself from the idea and avoid further controversy.