Senator Bernie Sanders sharply criticized President Donald Trump on Friday, accusing him of withholding billions of dollars in federal funding for critical New York infrastructure unless certain landmarks are renamed in Trump’s honor. Sanders described the reported demand as brazenly corrupt, sick, twisted, and egomaniacal. He stated that the time is long overdue for sane Republicans to stand up to Trump.
Donald Trump is withholding billions of dollars in New York infrastructure unless he gets Penn Station and Dulles Airport named after him.
— Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) February 6, 2026
This is not only brazenly corrupt. It is sick, twisted and egomaniacal. The time is long overdue for sane Republicans to stand up to Trump.
The comments came in response to reports that Trump last month told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer that he would unfreeze approximately $16 billion in funding for the Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project if Schumer agreed to support renaming New York’s Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport after the president. Sources familiar with the conversation confirmed the offer to multiple news outlets, though the White House and Schumer’s office have not publicly commented on the specifics.
Schumer rejected the proposal, with associates noting that there was nothing to negotiate and that the president could release the funds unilaterally. The Gateway Development Commission, which oversees the project, has already filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that the government is contractually obligated to provide the grants and loans finalized in July 2024. New York and New Jersey have followed with their own suit, warning that without the money, construction on the nine-mile rail extension and North River Tunnel rehabilitation would halt imminently, jeopardizing about 1,000 construction jobs and threatening broader economic impacts in the region.
This episode fits into a broader pattern of Trump seeking to attach his name to federal assets. Over the past year, his name has been added to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the U.S. Institute for Peace. The U.S. Navy has announced plans for a “Trump Class” of battleships, and a new government website for prescription drugs has been unveiled under the name TrumpRx.
THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER HONORS will be broadcast tonight, on CBS, and Stream on Paramount+. Tune in at 8 P.M. EST! At the request of the Board, and just about everybody else in America, I am hosting the event. Tell me what you think of my “Master of Ceremony” abilities. If…
— Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) December 23, 2025
Sanders has long warned about Trump’s approach to governance, arguing that actions like these bring the country closer to authoritarianism. He has previously condemned the withholding of federal funds as unconstitutional and dangerous, particularly when tied to political demands or targeting certain states.
