During a recent White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt may have inadvertently revealed a discrepancy in President Donald Trump’s account of a conversation with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The topic of contention was the proposed renaming of New York’s Penn Station to “Trump Station.” Last Friday, while aboard Air Force One en route to Florida, President Trump claimed it was Schumer who suggested the rebranding. However, Schumer quickly refuted this by posting on X, calling it an “absolute lie” and asserting that everyone was aware of the truth.

Four days later, Leavitt’s response seemed to align with Schumer’s narrative. When questioned about the renaming idea being attributed to Trump, she simply replied, “Why not?” and acknowledged that it was a suggestion the President had indeed discussed with Schumer. This statement effectively corroborated Schumer’s version of events. The New York Times reported earlier that the Trump administration had implied that federal funding for the Gateway Tunnel project could be unlocked if Schumer supported naming Penn Station and Washington Dulles International Airport after Trump.

The Gateway Tunnel project, which aims to establish a new rail tunnel linking New York City and New Jersey, is a crucial infrastructure undertaking. It seeks to temporarily replace the North River Tunnel, operational since 1910, allowing for necessary upgrades to accommodate modern rail travel. However, the $16 billion project has been stalled since Friday, pending the release of federal funds. The Trump administration cited concerns over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as the reason for withholding the funds. During a White House meeting in January, Trump and Schumer discussed the suspension of these funds. According to sources, Schumer declined Trump’s proposal for the renaming. Despite being a leading Senate Democrat, Schumer lacks direct authority over the renaming of these locations. “Only one man can restart the project, and he can do it with the snap of his fingers,” Schumer emphasized in his Friday X post.

To a question about whether it was appropriate for Trump to hold up the funds to get Penn Station named after him, Leavitt responded, ‘as for the funding, the President has addressed that separately himself.’ New York’s Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul said Tuesday at a press conference that the funds had been stopped ‘because Donald Trump is throwing a temper tantrum,’ amNewYork reported. Trump has gone to great lengths to cement his legacy as a two-term president, even with nearly three years left in his term.

He’s putting his mark on the White House by constructing a ballroom, which has been made more controversial by ordering the East Wing demolished before it went through an oversight process. Trump had his name added to the Kennedy Center in mid-December – and then announced that the performing arts venue in Washington, DC would close for two years after July 4th festivities for renovations that would have a Trumpian flair. He already showed off designs for marble to be added to the Kennedy Center’s seats. Trump has also green-lit Trump $1 coins to be minted to mark the country’s 250th birthday, with detractors saying that it’s un-American for a living president to be depicted on U.S. currency.