“This is the Trump Train, next stop: Ronald Reagan National Airport,” could be the conductor’s call on Washington, D.C.’s commuter rail system if one Florida GOP congressman has his way.
Rep. Greg Steube drafted “The Make Autorail Great Again (MAGA) Act,” which would withhold $150 million in federal funding from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) until it is renamed “WMAGA” – or the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access, in honor of President Donald Trump.
It would also require the METRO rail system – six color-coded lines encompassing about 130 miles of track – to be renamed the “Trump Train.”
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Steube called upon a 1966 District of Columbia law granting congressional “consent” for the interstate compact and ensuing establishment of WMATA.
“WMATA has received billions in federal assistance over the years and continues to face operational, safety, and fiscal challenges,” Steube said in a statement.
“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 day-to-day operations of WMATA and the METRO, including fares and routings, are controlled by its board – not Congress. It also receives funding and recommendations from the three state/district stakeholders.
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WMATA’s board consists of two members from Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, plus two appointed by the federal government.
Steube called WMATA a “struggling institution” in need of a “fresh identity,” particularly ahead of global events scheduled in the region, including the 2027 NFL Draft and FIFA World Cup matches.
Fox News Digital reached out to WMATA as well as Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., for comment.
Several METRO stations already sport political names, though they often coincide with nearby sites – including for former President Ronald Reagan, ex-Secretary of State John Dulles, Pierre L’Enfant and Pierre DuPont.
A move to rename the entire METRO system in honor of a dignitary, however, has never been tried previously.
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