GOP Bill Seeks 'Trump Train,' Faces Criticism

Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube has proposed the 'Make Autorail Great Again Act,' which would withhold about $150 million in annual federal funding from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) unless it is renamed 'Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access' (WMAGA) and its Metrorail system is rebranded as the 'Trump Train.' Steube argues the measure is necessary to address WMATA's operational, fiscal, and safety issues, as well as to promote accountability and reform before major D.C. events like the 2027 NFL Draft and the FIFA World Cup. The proposal mirrors other recent GOP efforts to name public infrastructure after Donald Trump, such as attempts to rename Dulles Airport. The bill has sparked criticism and is widely considered unlikely to pass, with critics and social media users dismissing it as a political stunt. They note that the legislation focuses almost solely on the symbolic name change, not substantive operational improvements. WMATA recently approved a $5 billion budget for service improvements without fare increases.