President Donald Trump’s administration is taking management of Union Station away from Amtrak, the latest example of the federal government exerting its power over the nation’s capital.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the takeover alongside Amtrak President Roger Harris at Union Station on Wednesday for the launch of the NextGen Acela, the rail service’s new high-speed train.
Union Station, the secretary said, has “fallen into disrepair” when it should be a “point of pride” for the city. He said taking over management of Washington’s main transportation hub, which is walking distance from the U.S. Capitol, would help beautify the landmark in an economical way and was in line with Trump’s vision.
“He wants Union Station to be beautiful again. He wants transit to be safe again. And he wants our nation’s capital to be great again. And today is part of that,” Duffy said.
The Trump administration’s move to take over Union Station follows other attempts to put the District of Columbia further under the president’s control. In recent weeks, he has increased federal law enforcement and immigration agents in the nation’s capital while also taking over the city’s police department and activating members of the National Guard, saying he’s fighting violent crime. Local police department statistics, though, show violent crime in Washington has declined in recent years.
Duffy echoed the Republican president, who said last week he wants $2 billion from Congress to beautify Washington as part of his crackdown on the city.
National Guard troops have been on patrol inside and outside Union Station after Trump launched the anti-crime effort earlier this month. Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were shouted down by opponents of the federal intervention when they visited with troops there last week.
Duffy had pressed Amtrak about crime at Union Station in a March letter to its chief operating officer and requested an updated plan on how it intended to improve public safety there.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.