New York Governor Kathy Hochul continued to point fingers at the White House over the Long Island Rail Road strike that began over the weekend, escalating a political battle between Albany and Washington. At a press conference Sunday, Hochul argued that the work stoppage—the first LIRR strike in more than three decades—would not have occurred without a Trump administration decision last fall.
“Let me be clear, this strike would not have been possible if the Trump administration had not taken the highly unusual step last fall of releasing labor unions from mediation,” Hochul said. “Unfortunately, for our commuters, the direct consequence of this action is the strike we have today.”
The governor, a Democrat, framed the walkout as a direct consequence of federal policy, noting that New York is a “prolabor state” but that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority could not agree to a contract that would push fares up by as much as 8 percent or risk raising taxes for Long Island residents. Thousands of LIRR workers went on strike Saturday after contract talks stalled, with unions demanding a 5 percent wage increase, while the MTA has offered 3 percent, citing concerns over budget impacts and passenger fare hikes.
President Trump fired back on Truth Social over the weekend, denying any role in the labor dispute. “Failed New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, a Dumacrat, just blamed ME for her Long Island Railroad STRIKE, when she knows, full well, that I have NOTHING TO DO WITH IT – never even heard about it until this morning,” Trump wrote Saturday.
The strike involves five unions, including the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Transportation Communications Union. In a joint statement Sunday, the two unions urged Hochul not to politicize the walkout, saying the strike “should not be politicized.” The unions are pushing for higher wages amid rising costs, while the MTA warns that larger increases could lead to fare hikes and strain state and local budgets.
Hochul’s office issued a separate statement Saturday blaming the Trump administration for the breakdown in negotiations, calling it a “direct result of reckless actions by the Trump Administration to cut mediation short and push these negotiations toward a strike.” The feud echoes broader tensions between the state and federal government over labor policy, particularly as Trump has sought to reshape the National Labor Relations Board and other agencies.
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment on the allegations. Meanwhile, commuters on Long Island face uncertainty as the strike disrupts one of the nation’s busiest rail networks. The standoff comes as Trump continues to flex his influence in Republican primaries, including in Kentucky, where he is backing a challenger to Rep. Thomas Massie, and as his administration dismantles regulations in other sectors.
