President Donald Trump and New York Governor Kathy Hochul met in the Oval Office on Friday for a “productive” discussion, according to a spokesperson for the governor. The two leaders focused on congestion pricing and the plans to revamp Penn Station during their meeting.
The meeting came at a time of rising tensions between Trump and Hochul, particularly after federal actions targeted the state’s congestion pricing initiative and sued New York over its sanctuary city policies regarding undocumented immigrants.
Hochul had recently positioned herself as part of the anti-Trump “resistance,” even speaking out strongly against the former president just last week. However, her tone softened following her most recent conversation with him.
A representative from Hochul’s office mentioned that the conversation covered a wide array of subjects, including Penn Station’s redevelopment, congestion pricing, tariffs, and energy policy.
“While no formal agreements or decisions were reached, it was a productive conversation and we look forward to continuing the dialogue in the coming weeks,” the spokesperson stated.
Further details regarding the discussions were not disclosed, though during their previous meeting, Governor Hochul had handed Trump “a booklet on the early success of congestion pricing.”
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is facing a March 21 deadline from the Federal Highway Administration to cease collecting the $9 toll on drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street.
However, Hochul and MTA officials are challenging the federal directive in court and have committed to continuing to collect the tolls.
Before the meeting, Trump had expressed his desire to reinstate the Constitution pipeline, a project that was halted by New York regulators in 2016 due to concerns about its potential effects on clean water supplies.
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