New York Magazine: “Though the Trump administration is playing hardball in public, a recent misstep in court filings shows that there are some internal concerns about the strength of its case to end congestion pricing.”
“On Wednesday, attorneys for the federal government seemingly filed an internal memo from Justice Department officials that laid out the weaknesses of the case in striking detail.”
“The Trump administration said Thursday states could lose federal transportation funding over failing to cooperate on federal immigration enforcement efforts or for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs,” Reuters reports.
“The Trump administration is threatening to stop future federal approvals for transportation projects in Manhattan and may withhold funding if New York City’s congestion pricing program continues,” Bloomberg reports.
Said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy: “The federal government sends billions to New York — but we won’t foot the bill if Governor Hochul continues to implement an illegal toll to backfill the budget of New York’s failing transit system. We are giving New York one last chance to turn back or prove their actions are not illegal.”
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“The head of the federal Department of Transportation said on Thursday that the Trump administration would take control of the $7 billion renovation of Pennsylvania Station away from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority,” the New York Times reports.
“The station, one of the busiest and also most maligned transit hubs in the world, has for decades been on the verge of a huge overhaul to remedy its cramped and dreary corridors. But the competing priorities of local, state and federal stakeholders have made progress difficult.”
“Elon Musk is urging retired air traffic controllers to come back to the workforce amid the nationwide shortage of workers,” The Hill reports.
Said Musk: “There is a shortage of top notch air traffic controllers. If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so.”
“The Federal Aviation Administration is close to canceling a $2.4 billion contract to overhaul a communications system that serves as the backbone of the nation’s air traffic control system and awarding the work to Elon Musk’s Starlink,“ the Washington Post reports.
“The move to cancel a major contract in favor of a venture led by Musk — who is leading President Donald Trump’s disruptive overhaul of the federal government through the U.S. DOGE Service — would represent a significant test of protections against conflicts of interest in government projects. It would be an especially extraordinary step for the typically cautious FAA, whose systems are vital to the safety of millions of air travelers every day.”
“New York City’s new toll on motorists driving into Manhattan’s busiest areas raised $48.6 million in its first month, as President Donald Trump is seeking to end the congestion pricing program just weeks after it began,” Bloomberg reports.
The Trump administration is pulling New York City’s congestion pricing scheme — slamming it as “backwards and unfair” — in a major blow to Gov. Kathy Hochul, the New York Post reports.
“President Trump has formulated a plan to force New York to ‘kill’ congestion pricing in Manhattan through the federal Department of Transportation,” the New York Post reports.
“Among potential penalties available to the agency are withholding millions of dollars in funding and reopening the environmental review process that authorized the toll under the Biden administration.”
Elon Musk said the Department of Government Efficiency will make “rapid safety upgrades” to the air traffic control systems with the Federal Aviation Administration, The Hill reports.
“The Department of Transportation has released a memo ordering that programs supported or assisted by the agency prioritize funding projects for communities that have above-average marriage and birth rates,” the HuffPost reports.
“Newly-confirmed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy buried the oddly specific requirement by describing the Wednesday memo as focused on economic growth, rather than population growth, and echoed President Donald Trump’s criticism of programs to improve diversity, equity and inclusion.”
“President Trump ordered a review of all federal aviation hiring and safety decisions in response to Wednesday night’s deadly air collision near Washington,” Axios reports.
“The order shows Trump is doubling down on his claim, without evidence, that DEI policies were a factor in the crash.”
“His memo explicitly mentions “diversity equity and inclusion,” and reflects how anti-DEI efforts are a centerpiece of his second administration’s policy.”
President Trump took questions from the media on the plane crash last night in Washington, D.C.:
REPORTER: I’m trying to figure out how you can come to the conclusion right now that diversity had something to do with this crash.
TRUMP: Because I have common sense, OK? And unfortunately a lot of people don’t.
“President Trump blamed diversity requirements at the Federal Aviation Administration and his two Democratic predecessors for the midair collision over the Potomac River on Wednesday night, saying that standards for air traffic controllers had been too lax,” the New York Times reports.
“Mr. Trump cited no evidence, and even admitted when pressed that the investigation had only just begun…”
“His instant focus on diversity reflected his instinct to immediately frame major events through his political or ideological lens, whether the facts fit or not.”
“The Trump administration is considering a move to halt New York City’s congestion pricing program,” the New York Times reports.
“No final decision has been made but President Trump had vowed to halt congestion pricing once he entered office, saying it was harmful to the city’s economy.”
“Obviously, it is not standard to have aircraft collide. I want to be clear on that.”
— Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, at a press briefing.
The White House told Fox News that President Trump will make a “big” announcement later today about infrastructure.
CBS News reports Trump will announce up to $500 billion in private sector investment to build artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States.
“Traffic on New York City’s busiest streets dropped by 7.5% and morning travel times fell on most major crossings into Manhattan during the first work week of the city’s congestion pricing plan, signaling that some motorists changed their driving patterns to avoid the new toll,” Bloomberg reports.
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.
Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.
Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.
Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.
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