Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that the Transportation Department will “reclaim management” of Union Station, Washington’s transit hub, citing homelessness and safety concerns.
The announcement comes after President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to Washington to fight crime, which Democrats have likened to a federal takeover of the city. Trump also called on Congress to provide $2 billion to “beautify” the city.
DOT owns Union Station, but the nonprofit Union Station Redevelopment Corporation and Amtrak share various management responsibilities such as leasing and day-to-day operations of the station. Duffy said at a Wednesday press conference at Union Station that it has been “neglected for decades,” and stressed that the takeover is “not a power play.”
