MAGA Cheers on ‘King’ Trump Dropping Pretense of Democracy
The president dubbed himself “the king” after killing a controversial New York City program.

Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty Images
President Donald Trump declared himself king and MAGAworld eagerly bent the knee.
Conservatives cheered on Trump’s victory lap Wednesday after announcing the termination of New York City’s controversial congestion pricing program, which came into effect last month as part of a bid to raise funds for improving the city’s mass transit system.
“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The program charged drivers $9 for entering Manhattan south of 60th Street. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called it “a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The White House’s official X account reposted Trump’s announcement with a mock Time Magazine cover depicting the president wearing a crown with the New York City skyline in the background.
"CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!"
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 19, 2025
–President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/IMr4tq0sMB
The fake cover and termination of the congestion pricing program were met with glee by conservatives.
Sign Up for The Swamp Newsletter
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson reposted the mock magazine cover with a fire emoji, and his followers responded with their own AI-generated images of Trump as king.
Taylor Budowich, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, also generated his own AI image showing Trump as a monarch.
— Taylor Budowich (@Taylor47) February 19, 2025
Right-wing influencer Alex Lorusso reposted the mock cover with the caption “Kek,” internet slang used to indicate laughter.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted Trump’s announcement with a “100” emoji.
Conservative pundit Rogan O’Handley, better known by his online username DC_Draino, hailed billionaire Trump as a “man of the working people.”
Trump just stopped NYC from charging a $9 toll to drive into the city
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) February 19, 2025
Man of the working people pic.twitter.com/xOlWEgo1rS
Across the aisle, critics blasted Trump for declaring himself a king despite leading a democratic nation.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had initiated legal proceedings to push back against the Trump administration’s termination of the program.
“We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king,” she said in a statement. “We’ll see you in court.”
Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said his loyalty remained with the nation.
“We don’t have kings in America, and I won’t bend the knee to one,” he said.
As Governor of Illinois, my oath is to the Constitution of our state and our nation.
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) February 19, 2025
We don’t have kings in America, and I won’t bend the knee to one. pic.twitter.com/UE9H82Kq7V
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
- Account (completed)
- Payment (completed)
- Confirmation (completed)
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
- 1Account
- 2Payment
- 3Confirmation
