President Trump’s allies trolled his critics with references to him being a king after the president declared New York was “saved” from congestion pricing.
On Wednesday, Trump’s administration announced it would be rescinding the Biden-era approval of a congestion pricing plan for the busy Manhattan area.
“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED,” Trump posted online. “LONG LIVE THE KING!”
The White House then shared the quote on X in its own post, including a drawing of Trump with a crown and New York City backdrop. Instead of the iconic TIME Magazine letters, it reads TRUMP, and included the line “Long live the king.”
Taylor Budowich, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretary, shared another image of Trump wearing a royal crown and cloak, including the text of the president’s initial post.
Elon Musk, who leads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), shared screenshots of Trump’s formerly suspended X account, when it was then known as Twitter, and the current account that shows he’s the 47th president.
“The Return of the King,” Musk said.
Critics were quick to point out that Trump was referring to himself as king and raised concern about what the president may do, as he has been granted broad immunity for presidential actions from the Supreme Court.
The posts come just days after Presidents Day, when people across the country protested for “No Kings Day,” to oppose Trump’s sweeping executive orders, and Musk as an unelected official slashing federal spending through DOGE.
