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.”
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.
The fake cover and termination of the congestion pricing program were met with glee by conservatives.
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.
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.”
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.
