Fact Check: Does Trump want to rename Dulles Airport and New York's Penn Station after himself?

This article has been updated to reflect a change in the verdict of the fact check 

Update 2 : Trump denied initiating such a proposal during a gaggle with reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from the White House to Mar-a-Lago on February 6. 

Asked whether he linked funding for the Gateway Tunnel project to renaming Penn Station and Dulles Airport after him, Trump said the idea did not originate with him.

“He suggested that to me,” the president said, referring to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. Trump said the discussion about renaming the facilities was raised by Schumer, not by the White House.

He also sought to draw a distinction between the two locations, saying Dulles Airport was a separate matter and noting that Congress has less involvement in airport decisions.

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Update 1: An earlier version of this article described the claim that Trump wants to rename Dulles Airport and New York's Penn Station after himself as 'largely true'.

After reassessing the available evidence and the lack of on-the-record confirmation, the verdict has been updated to unverified.

Neither Senator Chuck Schumer’s office nor the White House has publicly confirmed that such a request was made.

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WASHINGTON, DC: Claims have been circulating on social media platforms that President Donald Trump wants to rename Dulles Airport and New York’s Penn Station after himself. The claim has sparked speculations among many, with netizens questioning the authenticity of the claim. Let us analyse the rumor and fact-check the claim.

Claim: Donald Trump wants to rename an airport and a station after himself

According to the rumor, Trump demanded that Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) agree to put Trump’s name on Penn Station in New York and Washington’s Dulles International Airport. 

In exchange, the president would lift his freeze on $16 billion that had been slated for a new rail tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey.

The rumor was first reported by Punchbowl News, citing two anonymous people who claim to be familiar with the conversation.

Fact Check: The rumor is unverified

The claim is unverified but the Punchbowl report has been cited by several news media outlets, including NBC. 

Although neither the White House nor Trump has officially confirmed the claim, it is being treated as credible based on recent reporting by multiple established media outlets like Reuters and CNN.  

The president is reported to have told Schumer that he would release billions in federal funding for the Gateway Project, a major rail infrastructure initiative involving new Hudson River tunnels connecting New York and New Jersey, with over $16 billion in earmarked funds.

In exchange, Schumer would need to support renaming the above-mentioned airport and station after Trump. 

Punchbowl News first reported the offer, citing four sources. Schumer quickly rejected it, telling the White House he lacked the authority to rename the landmarks.

Kennedy Center renamed after Donald Trump

The new development comes after the president announced the renaming of the Kennedy Center in Washington to the Trump-Kennedy Center.

New signage bearing Trump’s name was installed at the Kennedy Center on December 19, one day after the institution’s board of trustees voted to rename the historic performing arts venue in his honor.

The updated name, according to the board’s decision, is now 'The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.'

Despite the installation of new signage, serious questions remain about whether the board of trustees has the legal authority to rename the performing arts center.

Congress formally established the Kennedy Center as a national memorial to the former presidentp. Legal experts have noted that altering its name may require congressional approval rather than a unilateral board decision.

The decision immediately drew criticism from the Kennedy family, who have long viewed the center as a lasting tribute to John F Kennedy’s legacy.