‘Trump Train’ joins ‘Trump highway’ in GOP renaming efforts

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A Florida congressman is introducing a bill to try to rename Washington, D.C.’s metro to the “Trump Train,” the latest in a series of efforts by GOP lawmakers to attach President Donald Trump’s name to various buildings and infrastructure.

Rep. Greg Steube, R-Florida, on Thursday, May 29 introduced the “Make Autorail Great Again Act,” which would block all federal funding to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) until it officially changes its name and that of the Metro it operates. Steube wants WMATA to go as WMAGA instead − short for “Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access” − and for the Metro to become the “Trump Train,” according to a news release from his office.

“WMATA has received billions in federal assistance over the years and continues to face operational, safety, and fiscal challenges,” Steube said in the release. “In the spirit of DOGE, this bill demands accountability by conditioning federal funding on reforms that signal a cultural shift away from bureaucratic stagnation toward public-facing excellence and patriotism.”

The Metro says it ferries 600,000 customers a day throughout the Washington, D.C. area and in surrounding Virginia and Maryland. With 98 stations, it is the second busiest metro system in the United States.

The Florida lawmaker is just the latest member of the GOP to try to attach the president’s name to a piece of infrastructure or building. Other Republicans have pursued a raft of proposals over the past year, ranging from adding Trump to Mount Rushmore to printing $500 bills featuring Trump’s visage.

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Here are some other recent proposals from Republican lawmakers aiming for significant Trump renames.

  • Rep. Addison McDowell, R-North Carolina, introduced legislation Jan. 23 proposing Washington Dulles International Airport be renamed as Donald J. Trump International Airport. It failed in committee in mid-March.
  • In Texas, Republican state Rep. Joanne Shofner introduced on March 14 a bill to rename a portion of I-35 in Travis County to the President Donald J. Trump Highway.
  • In Arizona, a proposed bill from Republican state Sen. Wendy Rogers aimed to rename State Route 260 as the “Donald J. Trump Highway.” It failed to make it out of the legislature. “I will bring it back next year and I will bring it back the following year, because we will honor this great President Donald J. Trump,” Rogers said, according to KJZZ.
  • Kentucky also wants to rename a highway after the president, with GOP lawmakers Jan. 7 introducing a joint resolution to designate 11 miles of Kentucky Route 18 in Boone County the “President Donald J. Trump Highway.”

Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund and Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY.

Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] and on X @KathrynPlmr.

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