Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) has introduced a bill that would strip federal funding from the Washington, D.C., Metro unless it’s renamed after President Donald Trump.
The bill, called the Make Autorail Great Again Act, demands two changes: rename the Metrorail system the “Trump Train” and change the transit agency’s name from WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) to WMAGA — short for Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access. The acronym closely mirrors Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
“WMATA has received billions in federal assistance over the years and continues to face operational, safety, and fiscal challenges,” Steube said in a press release. “In the spirit of DOGE, this bill demands accountability by conditioning federal funding on reforms that signal a cultural shift away from bureaucratic stagnation toward public-facing excellence and patriotism.”
WMATA currently gets about $150 million a year from the federal government. Steube’s bill says that money would be blocked unless the transit agency accepts the rebranding.
A release from Steube’s office said the changes “represent more than a name change; it is a mandate for performance and transformation.”
“Like any struggling institution, WMATA needs a fresh identity that aligns with efficiency, service quality, and renewed public trust. These new names serve as a bold rallying point for much-needed reform,” Steube said, adding that D.C. will soon host high-profile events like the 2027 NFL Draft.
Steube is also circulating a “pocket card” promoting the bill, which outlines how federal funds would be withheld until WMATA complies.
This isn’t the only Republican bill aimed at putting Trump’s name on public infrastructure. Rep. Addison McDowell (R-N.C.) has proposed renaming Washington Dulles International Airport after Trump, and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) wants to print $250 bills featuring Trump’s face.
WMATA also gets money from state and local governments — $154.5 million from Virginia, $167 million from Maryland, and $178.5 million from the District of Columbia, according to its 2024 annual report. But the Steube bill targets the federal piece directly.
So far, WMATA hasn’t responded to the proposal.
