$16 Billion in Jobs Frozen So Trump Could Get His Name on a Building

A federal court just blocked Trump’s shutdown of the $16 billion Gateway Tunnel because withholding congressionally approved funds is arbitrary and illegal. This project replaces a century-old Hudson River tunnel that 200,000 daily commuters depend on. Nearly 1,000 workers were about to lose their jobs, with 11,000 more at risk if delays continue. The administration froze funding in September 2025 and refused to release it even after the government shutdown ended and new funding packages passed. Reports indicate Trump offered to restore funding if Senator Schumer agreed to rename Penn Station and Dulles Airport after him. He’s using critical infrastructure as a bargaining chip for vanity projects. Stop treating this as a regional issue. The Northeast Corridor moves 20% of America’s GDP. You have oversight authority over the Department of Transportation. Use it. Subpoena Secretary Duffy to explain why his department is defying legal commitments the federal government made in signed agreements. Pass legislation requiring automatic release of congressionally appropriated infrastructure funds. If an administration can weaponize funding freezes to extract political favors, no project in any state is safe.