President Donald Trump sent shockwaves through social media after declaring himself a ‘King’ following his administration’s decision to shut down New York City’s controversial congestion pricing system.
Trump Takes a Victory Lap
Taking to Truth Social, Trump celebrated the move with an all-caps proclamation: “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
His deputy chief of staff, Taylor Budowich, took it a step further, sharing an AI-generated image of Trump in royal attire, while the White House X account posted a fake Time magazine cover rebranded as “Trump,” featuring the president grinning in a crown.
NYC’s $9 Toll System Crushed
Trump had vowed to eliminate the $9 congestion toll, which charged most vehicles entering Manhattan’s busiest areas, calling it a “massive and regressive tax.” On Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made it official, announcing the federal government had rescinded approval for the program.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, immediately hit back, threatening legal action.
‘We’ll See You in Court!’
Hochul, who had expressed past concerns about the tolls, fired back at Trump’s kingly declaration, saying: “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king.”
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which had planned to use the toll revenue to fund billions in subway and transit upgrades, also announced a lawsuit to keep the program alive.
MTA Chair Janno Lieber blasted the move, calling it “mystifying” given that the USDOT had already approved the system just three months ago after years of environmental review.
Divided Reactions
The congestion toll was deeply unpopular among suburban commuters and NYC drivers, but environmentalists and transit advocates praised it as a way to reduce pollution, ease gridlock, and improve public transportation.
Hochul defended the program’s success, claiming:
- Traffic congestion had dropped dramatically
- Broadway ticket sales surged
- Local businesses saw increased foot traffic
- School buses were running on time
- Taxi trips were up 10 percent
However, Trump and his allies dismissed those claims, vowing that the tolls would never return.
With lawsuits looming, the battle over NYC’s congestion pricing is far from over, but for now, Trump is celebrating his latest takedown like royalty.
