US government to reclaim control of Washington, DC’s Union Station

​​​​​​​By Ahmet Salih Alacaci

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Trump administration said Wednesday it will take back management of Union Station in Washington, DC.

“We want to make this place beautiful and the premier train station, not just in America, but the premier train station in the world,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at the station, where he attended the launch of a new high-speed rail line, NextGen Acela.

Duffy said in an earlier statement announcing the move that the historic station had “fallen into disrepair” and lost its status as a symbol of national pride.

“By reclaiming station management, we will help make this city safe and beautiful at a fraction of the cost,” he added, in the latest move by the administration to extend control over the nation’s capital.

Deputy Transportation Secretary Steve Bradbury said Trump and Duffy were “making big, beautiful projects come to life,” stressing that renewed oversight would ensure reinvestment in the station’s infrastructure and transform it into a world-class hub.

The Transportation Department said regaining control of Union Station will allow for long-delayed renovations, including upgrades to security, lighting, elevators and passenger facilities. Formal action confirming the move is expected in September.

National Guard troops have been deployed in and around Union Station since President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in the capital city earlier this month.

Vice President JD Vance and defense chief Pete Hegseth were met with protests from opponents of the intervention when they visited troops last week.