(C) Common Dreams
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Donald Trump Calls Himself ‘the King’ as White House Shares Fake Time Cover of Him [1]
['Rachel Raposas', 'Rachel Raposas Is A Digital News Writer At People. She Has Been Working At People Since', 'People Editorial Guidelines']
Date: 2025-06
Donald Trump has called himself a king.
In a post to Truth Social on Wednesday, Feb. 19, the president, 78, praised his own efforts in attempting to revoke revoking New York City's recently reinstated congestion pricing system.
"CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan and all of New York, is SAVED," he wrote, adding, "LONG LIVE THE KING."
Shortly afterwards, the official White House Instagram account shared a fake Time magazine cover, depicting Trump wearing a crown. In place of the magazine's title was Trump's name in big letters — and again, at the left corner, read the words, "Long live the king."
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul swiftly denounced Trump's comments in a statement of her own, pushing back on his claims over of the congestion pricing plan as well as his personal statement about being a monarch.
"We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king," Hochul, 66, posted on Instagram on Wednesday, around the same time as the White House's fake Time cover.
She added, "The MTA has initiated legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York to preserve this critical program. We'll see you in court."
In a news conference on Wednesday, the governor said that "the cameras that help collect the tolls will remain on," NBC News reported.
The congestion pricing program in N.Y.C. — which imposes a $9 charge on most drivers in order to enter Manhattan below 60th Street — has been controversial.
Its aim has been to reduce congestion on roads and divert it to public transit and foot traffic. Hochul said in her statement that there's already been improvement, citing lower commute times, drivers' "better experience" and increased transit ridership.
Conversely, many have pushed back against the new charge. CBS News reported that those against it have claimed the policy unequally impacts districts and neighborhoods in N.Y.C. and will most heavily affect low income individuals.
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[1] Url:
https://people.com/donald-trump-calls-himself-king-as-white-house-shares-fake-time-cover-11683451
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