Thousands of union workers in New York are going without pay as construction on the Gateway Tunnel has come to a halt, Governor Kathy Hochul said on Tuesday, blaming President Donald Trump for stopping the project in what she called a “revenge tour” against the state. The tunnel, a major infrastructure project connecting New York and New Jersey and serving 200,000 daily commuters, has been under construction for years to replace a structure compromised during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Speaking from Albany, Hochul said the project had finally reached a critical phase thanks to federal funding, support from New York and New Jersey officials, and congressional backing, including from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “We’ve been proud that this project has been ongoing, with thousands of people working on it. Now it has come to a dead stop because Donald Trump is throwing a tantrum,” Hochul said. She noted that the stoppage has left hundreds of union workers without pay and disrupted commutes for hundreds of thousands of residents.
Thousands of union workers are going without a paycheck because Donald Trump is throwing a temper tantrum.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) February 10, 2026
Mr. President: Stop playing games. Release the funds and let us build. pic.twitter.com/vwTAH0nS4d
Hochul said Trump’s actions are illegal and retaliatory. She noted that the state had already won a court case to maintain funding for the project, but the president chose to appeal the ruling instead. “He could have turned the funding back on. Instead, he decided to appeal. He doesn’t care. He’s on a revenge tour against places like New York,” Hochul said. She added that the reasons behind Trump’s intervention remain unclear, speculating that it may be related to disputes over the naming of project facilities. “We’re not quite sure what he’s mad about right now… Let’s worry about what to call it when it’s done. Let’s keep working. Keep building. Put people back to work. Stop saying one thing and doing the exact opposite,” she said.
The Gateway Tunnel is considered one of the largest public infrastructure projects in the United States. Over the course of the construction, it is expected to employ thousands of workers and strengthen the resiliency of the Northeast transportation network, particularly for Amtrak and commuter rail services. Hochul emphasized the project’s economic importance, noting that it supports private-sector jobs and broader regional growth. “I’ve worked hard to get this project over the finish line. It’s essential for our economy and to ensure we don’t face the failure of a tunnel that connects the entire Northeast,” she said.
Hochul concluded her remarks by urging the president to resume construction immediately, calling the situation “childish” and highlighting the human impact of the project’s suspension. “You might think you’re hurting me or Chuck Schumer, but you’re hurting thousands of people who are home today with uncertain futures, their lives turned upside down because of the callous behavior of the Trump administration. I say: get them back to work now. Forget this childish behavior. Stop being so petty. This project is essential. I’m not happy today,” she said.
