Gov. Hochul stands by congestion pricing, vows to fight in court: 'We do not back down'
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The Trump administration's move to terminate congestion pricing in New York City is guaranteed to start a battle in the courtroom, but it was the war of words between the president and Gov. Kathy Hochul that dominated amid the political fallout on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump celebrated the Department of Transportation's move to pull approval for the MTA's controversial toll program, taking to his social media platform Truth Social to declare himself "the king."
"CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!" Trump said in the post. The White House later posted an image of a fake Time Magazine, depicting Trump wearing a crown with the phrase "Long live the king," in front of the New York skyline.
A fired-up Gov. Hochul pushed back against the DOT's move and the president's remarks during a briefing alongside MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber.
"New York hasn't labored under a king in over 250 years, and we sure as hell are not going to start now," she said to applause while holding up the same image of Trump.
Hochul called the DOT's attempt to block the program an attack on the state's independence from Washington.
"It feels like the commuters of our city and our region are now the roadkill on Donald Trump's revenge tour against New York," Hochul said.
RELATED | Trump's move to shut congestion praising draws praise, ire across region
The governor vowed to fight back, invoking the spirit of New Yorkers in her mission to resist the actions of the Trump administration.
"In case you don't know New Yorkers, when we're in a fight, we do not back down -- not now, not ever," she said, adding that the state has "a lot of legal reasons why we know we're going to be victorious."
Hochul confirmed that the state has already taken legal action.
"Within minutes of receiving that letter, our MTA filed a lawsuit," she said. "And let me be clear-the cameras are staying on. The tolls are staying on."
President Trump wasn't the only recipient of the governor's fiery message. Hochul's cross-state neighbor, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy -- a vocal opponent to the plan -- also found himself in the cross hairs after he asked the president and his administration, on Trump's first day in office, to "reexamine" the highly debated congestion pricing plan and its impact on the Garden State.
"They actually cited the will of New Jersey. Since when does New Jersey get to dictate what happens in New York?" Gov. Hochul said.
In response to Murphy's letter to Trump, Hochul told reporters last month that if the congestion pricing plan is ultimately killed, "that comes with $15 billion more" the federal government will need to give to New York.
Hochul touted the success of the program on Wednesday, saying that congestion has "dropped dramatically" since the congestion pricing went into effect last month.
Lieber echoed Hochul's stance, highlighting the program's early success.
"Traffic was down 9% in January, with 1.2 million fewer vehicles entering the central business district," he said. "Bus speeds are up, crashes are down, and pedestrian traffic in business areas has surged. This is working."
Lieber also pushed back on claims that congestion pricing would hurt businesses.
"Restaurant reservations are up 7%, Broadway grosses are up 25%, and commercial office leasing jumped 61% in January compared to last year," he said. "People want to be in New York."
ABC News contributed to this report.
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