Updated Aug 27, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Trump administration to take over D.C.'s Union Station

April Rubin

Group of soldiers in camouflage uniforms standing and talking near a marble statue, with the U.S. Capitol dome visible in the background under clear sky. — Members of the National Guard patrol Union Station on Aug. 25 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

The Department of Transportation will take over management of Washington, D.C.'s train hub, Union Station, multiple outlets reported on Wednesday.

Why it matters: Union Station has been a focal point for the Trump administration's military deployment in D.C. Top members of the Trump administration — including Vice President Vance — bashed the station's management and cast it as crime-ridden at an Aug. 20 press conference.

"The Department of Transportation is taking historic action to reinvest in Union Station and restore it as a transportation hub that befits our nation's capital," White House spokesperson said in a statement.
The Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Zoom in: The takeover will involve a cooperative agreement with Amtrak and the the nonprofit Union Station Redevelopment Corporation, which controls the station, per the Washington Post.

"Instead of being a point of pride, Washington's Union Station has fallen into disrepair," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. "By reclaiming station management, we will help make this city safe and beautiful at a fraction of the cost."
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Wednesday that while she didn't know the details of the takeover, the Union Station needed a "total transformation."
"That would be an amazing initiative for the federal government to take on," Bowser said.

Zoom out: In March, the White House ousted Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. Duffy highlighted safety concerns at Union Station at that time.

Last year, Amtrak launched an initiative to revitalize Union Station after a court gave it the right to take control of the management and operations of the station.
In 2022, the National Park Service cleared a homeless encampment outside Union Station in a move led by federal officials.

Go deeper: Trump's D.C. takeover sparks dueling social media feeds

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional comments.

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Trump administration to take over D.C.'s Union Station

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