Trump’s Transportation Secretary gives Hochul last-minute extension to shut down NYC congestion pricing

New York Post - Mar 20th, 2025

President Trump's Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, announced a 30-day extension for New York Governor Kathy Hochul to reconsider the state's congestion pricing plan. This decision, communicated via a forceful tweet, follows the federal government's demand to terminate the controversial toll system. Duffy criticized the tolls, stating they unfairly charge working-class citizens for roads funded by federal taxes. Despite the previous deadline, Hochul and MTA officials continue collecting the tolls, citing ongoing legal challenges against the federal move to revoke toll approval.

The extension is linked to ongoing discussions between Hochul and Trump, potentially involving a pipeline deal that Duffy suggests could lower fuel costs significantly. Duffy's tweet underscored the federal government's displeasure with Hochul's policies, including her refusal to approve pipeline projects deemed vital for reducing energy costs. This development highlights the tension between federal directives and state autonomy, with significant implications for New York's transportation policy and broader federal-state relations over infrastructure funding and management.

Donald Trump Kathy Hochul Mta Sean Duffy Congestion Pricing Transportation Policy Pipeline Deal

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RATING

4.2

Moderately Fair

Read with skepticism

The article presents a timely and relevant topic concerning congestion pricing and its implications for New York City. However, it suffers from a lack of balance and transparency, with an over-reliance on a single source and speculative claims. The factual accuracy is questionable due to the absence of verifiable evidence and authoritative sources. While the article is generally clear and readable, its engagement and impact are limited by these deficiencies. To fully inform public discourse, more comprehensive coverage with balanced perspectives and substantiated facts is necessary.

Accuracy

The story contains several factual elements that require verification, such as the involvement of Sean Duffy as Transportation Secretary and the extension of congestion pricing by 30 days. The text also mentions a 'cordon' pricing typo, which suggests a potential error in reporting. The claim about Hochul's talks with Trump over a pipeline deal is speculative and lacks concrete evidence. The accuracy of these claims is crucial for the story's credibility, yet the article does not provide verifiable sources or documents to support these assertions.

Balance

The article primarily presents the perspective of Sean Duffy and the federal government's stance on congestion pricing, with limited representation of Governor Hochul's viewpoint. The piece lacks a balanced presentation of arguments from both sides, which could lead to perceived bias. Omitting Hochul's detailed responses or the rationale behind the congestion pricing limits the article's balance and fairness.

Clarity

The language and tone of the article are generally clear, but there are moments where clarity is compromised, such as the reference to 'cordon' pricing, which is likely a typographical error. The structure is straightforward, but the speculative nature of some claims, like the pipeline discussions, could confuse readers. Despite these issues, the article is mostly understandable.

Source quality

The article does not cite specific sources or provide attribution for the claims made, particularly regarding the extension of congestion pricing and the alleged pipeline discussions. The reliance on a tweet from Sean Duffy as the primary source raises questions about the depth and reliability of the information presented. There is a lack of diverse and authoritative sources to substantiate the claims.

Transparency

The article lacks transparency in terms of the sources of its information and the methodology used to gather facts. It does not disclose any potential conflicts of interest or provide context for the claims made, such as the legal and economic implications of congestion pricing. The lack of clear attribution and explanation of the basis for the claims undermines transparency.