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Former US President Donald Trump reportedly offered to release frozen federal infrastructure funds in exchange for support to rename major transport hubs after himself, according to recent reports by CNN and NBC.
The media outlets, citing unnamed sources, said Trump proposed the idea to top Senate Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer, suggesting that Washington Dulles International Airport and New York’s Penn Station be renamed in his honor. In return, Trump allegedly offered to unblock federal funds earmarked for a major New York infrastructure project.
Schumer reportedly rejected the proposal. CNN noted that the alleged offer was made last month.
The funds in question are part of a $16 billion federal allocation currently sought by New York and New Jersey for the construction of a new rail tunnel connecting the two states. Both states are reportedly suing to secure the blocked funds.
Trump, known for branding properties with his name, has previously sought to leave his mark on public institutions and national landmarks. In December, a board he installed at the Kennedy Center voted to rename the arts complex the “Trump-Kennedy Center.”
He has also promoted plans for an “Independence Arch,” inspired by Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, and approved the construction of a new White House ballroom, reportedly involving the demolition of the historic East Wing.
US media note that Trump’s latest efforts represent a departure from long-standing tradition. Public buildings and infrastructure are typically named after presidents only posthumously or after they leave office to avoid politicization.
Reports also suggest that the US Treasury has prepared preliminary drafts of a commemorative one-dollar coin featuring Trump’s image, despite laws prohibiting the likeness of a sitting or living president on US currency.
Reacting to the news, New York Representative Jerry Nadler described the alleged attempt to rename Dulles Airport and Penn Station as an “extortion racket.”
