Schumer says he'll block effort to rename Penn Station after Trump

New York - Sen. Chuck Schumer says he will block any legislation aiming to rename Penn Station after President Trump.

It comes as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter asking Congress to change the name of the major transit hub in Midtown Manhattan, after the federal government took over a projected $8 billion redesign project. 

In the letter seeking congressional funding for the redesign and other major transportation priorities, Duffy reportedly included a directive to have Amtrak rename Penn Station, the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere. 

What they're saying:

Duffy's letter did not specify a potential new name, but Schumer said Sunday it's obvious. 

"On Wednesday, [Duffy] sent a letter to the leadership of the three senate committees laying out the administration's priorities for the Penn Station rebuild. One of those priorities, hidden in a very small, little bullet point, is to direct Amtrak to rename New York's Penn Station. The letter never says what the name would be. It doesn't have to. We know what it is. The administration wants Donald Trump's name on that station," Schumer said.

Last year, Duffy made it no secret he would welcome seeing the president's name on the station.

"Nobody in New York wants Penn Station named for Donald Trump. No one asked for it, and we do not have to ask the intentions of the transportation secretary," Schumer added. 

What's next:

Construction on the Penn Station redesign is targeted to begin before the end of 2027.

Officials said the station will remain in operation as the project progresses in phases over about six years. 

Dig deeper:

Penn Station is named after the Pennsylvania Railroad, the now defunct rail company that built it. 

More than 600,000 commuters currently traverse the station on any given weekday.