President Donald Trump has delivered on his promise to stop New York City’s unfair congestion pricing scheme. The Trump administration canceled federal support for the plan this week after Gov. Kathy Hochul ignored complaints from hardworking Americans. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis joined Trump in celebrating this win for drivers and small businesses crushed by Hochul’s costly tolls.
The congestion tax forced drivers to pay $9 every time they entered busy parts of Manhattan during rush hour. Critics called it a cash grab that punished everyday commuters while doing little to fix subway problems. Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed the plan as a “slap in the face” to working families already struggling with high gas prices and inflation.
New Jersey and Connecticut drivers were hit hardest by the tolls. Truckers bringing goods into the city faced even higher fees—costs that get passed down to consumers through pricier groceries and supplies. Small business owners warned the tax would keep customers away, hurting shops and restaurants still recovering from pandemic shutdowns.
Hochul and city leaders vowed to fight Trump in court, but conservatives argue states shouldn’t ignore federal authority when their policies harm neighboring communities. “This isn’t just about New York,” said one Republican strategist. “It’s about stopping radical Democrats from taxing people into staying home.” Trump supporters cheered his bold move to protect interstate commerce from overreach.
Democrats claim congestion pricing reduced traffic, but many drivers simply changed their schedules to avoid tolls instead of ditching their cars. Public transit alternatives like buses and subways remain unreliable, leaving commuters stuck between bad options. “Why should I pay more for broken services?” asked a construction worker from Queens. “Hochul cares more about her woke agenda than fixing actual problems.”
The MTA threatened lawsuits to save the toll program, which was supposed to fund subway upgrades. Conservatives question where that money would really go, pointing to the agency’s history of wasteful spending. “This was never about helping riders,” said Malliotakis. “It’s about squeezing more taxes out of people while failing to clean up crime or delays.”
With legal battles ahead, drivers get temporary relief from what Trump calls “another Democrat tax scam.” His decision puts America first by defending workers against elitist policies that make city life unaffordable. As one Staten Island mom put it: “Finally, someone in power listens to us instead of rich Manhattan liberals.”
The fight over congestion pricing reveals a deeper divide between common-sense conservatives and out-of-touch politicians pushing costly green mandates. Trump’s leadership shows real solutions come from empowering taxpayers—not taxing them into submission. For now, New Yorkers can keep more cash in their pockets thanks to a president who puts hardworking Americans ahead of radical agendas.
