Trump Reportedly Suggested Naming Major Transport Hubs After Himself

Former President of the United States, Donald Trump, allegedly suggested offering the release of frozen federal infrastructure funds in return for support to rename significant transport hubs in his honor, as reported by American media.

According to new revelations from CNN and NBC, Trump made this proposal to Senator Chuck Schumer, the leading Senate Democrat from New York. He suggested that Washington Dulles International Airport and New York’s Penn Station be renamed following his name. In exchange, Trump purportedly offered to unblock federal funding dedicated to a major infrastructure project in New York.

Sources quoted in the reports claim that Schumer did not accept the proposal. CNN highlighted that this offer was made in the previous month.

The funding in question is part of a $16 billion federal investment that New York and New Jersey are currently pursuing for the development of a new rail tunnel that connects the two states. Both states are reportedly engaged in legal action to reclaim the blocked funds.

Known for his branding initiatives, Trump, a former real estate mogul, has consistently tried to imprint his legacy on public institutions and landmarks. Last December, a board instituted by Trump at the Kennedy Center chose to rename the arts venue as the “Trump-Kennedy Center.”

He has also advocated for the erection of an “Independence Arch,” inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and endorsed the construction of a new ballroom at the White House, which necessitates the demolition of the historic East Wing.

U.S. media outlets have noted that Trump’s aspirations now encompass significant transportation infrastructure, signaling a departure from the customary protocol whereby public establishments are typically named after presidents only after their terms or posthumously to avoid politicization.

Furthermore, the U.S. Treasury has confirmed that preliminary designs for a commemorative one-dollar coin featuring Trump’s likeness have been drafted, despite existing laws prohibiting the portrayal of a sitting or living president on U.S. currency.

In response to these reports, New York Representative Jerry Nadler characterized Trump's alleged effort to rename Dulles Airport and Penn Station as an “extortion racket.”