President Donald Trump reportedly used a secret meeting with billionaire James Dolan, executive chairman of Madison Square Garden Entertainment, to push for his name to be added to Penn Station in New York City, according to a Page Six report.
Dolan's company operates Madison Square Garden, which sits atop Pennsylvania Station, the busiest train station in the United States. The White House declined to comment on the private meeting but stated that Trump supports a revitalised Penn Station.
This is not the first time Trump has sought to rename the landmark. In January, he allegedly offered to unfreeze billions in infrastructure funding in exchange for renaming Penn Station and Washington Dulles International Airport, a proposal rejected by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Trump later dismissed the reports as 'FAKE NEWS'.
In March, New York Governor Kathy Hochul firmly ruled out adding Trump's name to Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, saying it would happen 'over my dead body'. Separately, sources told The Gothamist that Trump was willing to rebuild Penn Station and relocate Madison Square Garden if Dolan agreed.
Three proposals for Penn Station's redevelopment are currently under consideration, with a decision expected in May and announcement in June, according to Amtrak. Trump has previously renamed other landmarks, including the Kennedy Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace, after himself.
