‘Tug of war’: Democrats push Trump to release New York City tunnel funds

Al JazeeraEN 4 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffFebruary 18, 2026 at 03:48 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

New York Governor Kathy Hochul is pushing for the release of remaining federal funds for the Northeast Corridor project, part of the Gateway Program to improve tunnels and bridges connecting New York and New Jersey. The federal government had pledged billions to the project, but the Trump administration suspended $18 billion in funding in October during a government shutdown, a move Democrats criticized as political retaliation. While $77 million was released on Tuesday, Hochul says it's not enough. The project is considered vital for transportation and safety, and the delayed funding threatens the jobs of workers involved. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between Democrats and the Trump administration regarding infrastructure funding and political priorities.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States 40% Jerry Nadler 40% Republican Party 50% Northeast Corridor project 60% Democratic Party ×260% New Jersey ×270% Gateway Program ×270% New York ×680% Kathy Hochul ×390% Donald Trump ×490%

Keywords

tunnel funds 90% donald trump 80% government shutdown 70% gateway program 70% transportation project 70% northeast corridor project 60% funding suspension 60% political revenge 50% infrastructure 50% new york city 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

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Source

Al Jazeera

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90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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tunnel funds donald trump government shutdown gateway program transportation project northeast corridor project funding suspension political revenge infrastructure new york city

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