Report: President Donald Trump mulls congestion pricing, says he can stop it 

President Donald Trump said he has the power to "kill" New York’s congestion pricing program in a new interview, but hasn’t made up his mind yet on whether he will do so.

In an interview published Saturday, Trump reiterated his belief that congestion pricing is "really horrible" and "destructive to New York," but said he wants to continue discussing the matter with Gov. Kathy Hochul before deciding whether or not to repeal the program.

"If I decide to do it, I will be able to kill it off in Washington through the Department of Transportation," Trump said in the interview with the New York Post. "It’s a lot of power."

Trump has not provided details on how he would move to repeal congestion pricing, but plan opponents have urged him to order a more stringent environmental review for the program or to withhold federal transportation funding from the state unless it drops the plan.

It’s the first time since Trump took office that he has publicly acknowledged that he is considering repealing New York’s congestion pricing program, which took effect Jan. 5. Newsday has previously reported that Hochul and Trump have discussed the future of the program and that Trump was considering stopping it.

The tolling program charges most vehicles $9 for driving below 60th Street in Manhattan. Supporters say the measure is needed to unclog one of the most congested business districts in the world, and to improve air quality and generate funding for mass transit investments.

Opponents, including Trump, have said the new tolls burden working families and could damage New York’s economy.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has said early data indicate congestion pricing is working as intended by significantly reducing the number of vehicles entering Manhattan, speeding up travel times and increasing transit ridership. But Trump, in the Post interview, said the reason traffic is down in Manhattan is "because no one’s coming to the city."

Trump also acknowledged having discussed congestion pricing recently with Hochul, but would not disclose details of the conversations.

Asked about Trump’s latest remarks, Hochul spokesperson Avi Small said the governor has had "several productive calls with President Trump and is happy to talk with anyone, anytime about how this program is benefiting New Yorkers and the entire metro region."

"Congestion pricing continues to operate in New York City, reducing traffic and improving commutes, and we will continue our ongoing discussions with federal officials," Small said in a statement.

Columbia University environmental law professor Michael Gerrard said he knows of "no legal pathway" for Trump to unilaterally kill congestion pricing, but added: "You can't count on him following the rules."

If Trump did order the MTA to take down the tolls, Gerrard said he expects the MTA would put up a fight to keep them in place. "If the secretary of transportation sends a letter to [MTA chairman Janno Lieber] telling him to shut it down, I'm not sure that Janno immediately shuts it down," Gerrard said. "Unquestionably, it would go to court."

The revenue generated from the new tolls is earmarked to support $15 billion in infrastructure upgrades throughout the MTA system, including accessibility projects at New York City subway and Long Island Rail Road stations.

Asked about the potential for Trump to repeal congestion pricing, MTA chief accessibility officer Quemuel Arroyo declined to "opine on what the president is thinking," but said funding accessibility projects throughout the transit system "is vital."

The MTA on Monday unveiled its latest accessibility improvement, targeting deaf and hard of hearing transit riders. Convo Access, a partnership with deaf-owned company Convo, is providing users with American Sign Language interpreters on a 24/7 basis via a QR code at every subway and LIRR station, according to the MTA.

After scanning the code, users are connected with a live interpreter through a video call, who will then translate a conversation between an MTA employee and the transit rider.

The program follows an initial Transit Tech Lab program, which ran on a smaller scale in summer 2024 at Penn Station, Times Square and Port Authority. The initial test achieved a 94% activation rate with positive feedback, according to Convo’s website.

Arroyo said at the Atlantic Av—Barclays Center station that since 1 out of 4 New Yorkers are hard of hearing, accessibility is more than just providing elevators at transit stations.

"Accessibility is about ensuring that every one of our customers has the access and or the tool that they need to be safe as they try, as they navigate throughout our transit system," Arroyo said. "Access to transportation starts with access to information, from getting information on service changes to reduce fare OMNY."