"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
That's it. Remembering the movie title, "King of New York," and sensing that there was a cultural reference out of my reach, I asked Grok, "What does 'King of New York' refer to?"
"King of New York" can refer to different things depending on the context. Here are the most common meanings:
1. Cultural/Historical Figure: Historically, it might evoke someone like Alexander Hamilton or other influential New Yorkers who shaped the city or state, though no one is officially titled "King of New York." It’s more of a colloquial or symbolic label for someone who dominates or represents New York’s identity.
2. Hip-Hop Culture: In rap and hip-hop, "King of New York" is a fiercely debated title among artists claiming dominance in the New York rap scene. Notorious B.I.G. famously used it, especially tied to his track "Juicy" and his Brooklyn roots. Others like Nas, Jay-Z, and even 50 Cent have been in the conversation, with fans and critics arguing over who truly holds the crown based on influence, lyricism, or commercial success.
3. Film: It’s the title of a 1990 crime movie directed by Abel Ferrara, starring Christopher Walken as Frank White, a drug lord who returns from prison aiming to reclaim power in New York City. The film’s a gritty take on power and redemption, and its title ties into the idea of ruling the city’s underworld.
4. Sports: Occasionally, athletes like Derek Jeter (for his Yankees legacy) or Patrick Ewing (with the Knicks) get dubbed "King of New York" by fans or media for their outsized impact on the city’s sports culture.
5. Slang/Bravado: More broadly, it’s a flex—someone calling themselves or being called the "King of New York" is asserting they’re the top dog in whatever field or scene they’re in, from business to street cred.
Which one are you thinking of, or did you have a specific context in mind?
At that point I revealed my interest in the Trump tweet.
I said: "I don't know. I was reading Trump's tweet — 'Congestion pricing is dead. Manhattan, and all of New York, is saved. Long Live The King!' — and wondering if there was some cultural reference that would help make sense of it. I thought of the film title. I see the more recent slang. Is Trump trolling in a way that will make his critics look uncool at some point?"Grok answered:Trump’s tweet—“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”—is a layered flex, and you’re right to pick up on the cultural threads. As of today, February 19, 2025, it’s tied to his administration’s move to kill New York City’s congestion pricing plan, a $9 toll on drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street to fund transit upgrades. He’s celebrating a policy win, but the “Long Live The King” bit is where it gets juicy—part bravado, part troll, and yes, likely a nod to cultural references that could leave his critics scrambling.
The phrase itself echoes the historical “The King is dead, long live the King!”—a proclamation of continuity in monarchy. Trump flips it into a self-aggrandizing victory lap, casting himself as a ruler figure. The “King of New York” tag has deep roots in pop culture, which he’s almost certainly riffing on. There’s the 1990 film King of New York, where Christopher Walken plays a crime lord reclaiming the city—gritty, power-hungry, and theatrical, much like Trump’s persona. Then there’s the hip-hop crown, fought over by legends like Biggie, Nas, and Jay-Z, symbolizing dominance in a chaotic, competitive scene. Trump, a New Yorker born and bred, knows this lexicon. He’s not just saying he won; he’s claiming the throne of his hometown, a place that’s largely turned its back on him politically.
Is he trolling? Absolutely. Trump’s got a track record of bombast that baits reactions—think “stable genius” or “covfefe.” Here, “Long Live The King” dares critics to clutch pearls over authoritarian vibes, while supporters cheer the swagger. The White House doubled down, posting a mock Time cover with him in a crown, and his deputy chief of staff shared an AI-generated image of him in royal garb. It’s campy, over-the-top, and designed to stick in the craw of the coastal elite he loves to needle. If his critics blast him for sounding like a despot, they risk looking humorless or out of touch—especially if he spins it as just a playful jab, which he’s done before.
The congestion pricing fight itself is personal for him—Trump Tower sits in the toll zone, and he’s long griped about New York’s decline. Killing it lets him play savior to suburban drivers and Jersey commuters who hate the toll, while flipping off the Manhattan liberals who back it. Governor Hochul’s already suing to keep it alive, saying, “We’re a nation of laws, not ruled by a king,” which only fuels the meme war he thrives on. If he’s leaning on the slang or film vibe, it’s to cloak the flex in street cred—making detractors seem stiff when they inevitably overanalyze it.
So, yeah, it’s a cultural nod—part King of New York grit, part rap bravado—and a troll that could age well for him if his base eats it up and his critics overreact. He’s betting on the optics: they fume, he smirks, and the cycle spins on.
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४२ टिप्पण्या:
Nothing more entertaining than watching libs heads exploding.
No mention of the song from the musical "Newsies"? First from the movie but this audio clip is from the stage musical:
King of New York.
I don't know the lyrics... not my thing... but my daughters have played it enough where the tune and just the words of the title popped into my head immediately.
IAI is reading Trump correctly. It has apparently been trained on males.
I would prefer a more serious tone - but that can’t start until liberals stop with the Nazi/fascist crap and they will never give that up. As it happens, the Nazi/fascist crap has lost its meaning since Jews became Nazi/fascists too. And Team Trump’s sense of timing/humor doesn’t seem to impede how seriously they’re taken in the political world. So, we’ll just have to Let Them (which just happens to be the title of this week’s #1 best seller on Amazon).
States rights!
No, not like that!
Regardless of one's view over the scheme, how is a congestion scheme in one city of the country a federal issue?
Grok claimed that the image of the fake Time cover likely dud not originate with the White House and did not appear on their timeline. Is that info wrong?
Pretty sophisticated. I had to go look up how on earth Trump could have anything to do with this, and it turns out the US DOT had to approve it. Which approval is now going to be yanked. So another lawsuit coming up.
As a hill to die on for Dems, I suspect this one won't play well. There are a ton of people in NJ affected, and it is more of a class issue.
My guess was that Adams pulled the congestion plan, as part of some deal related to his indictment.
And don’t forget DON King. Trump, 10 hours ago, posted this:
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114031011152723464
MaxedOutMama: "Pretty sophisticated. I had to go look up how on earth Trump could have anything to do with this, and it turns out the US DOT had to approve it. Which approval is now going to be yanked. So another lawsuit coming up."
Yep. The biden crew approved the plan in the months prior to the election.
Noted Althouse blog buffoon LLR-democratical Rich was not asking any questions about fed involvement in this decision prior to the election because he is not that bright.
Kak, Effing EVERYTHING is a federal issue.
Repairs to Silicon Valley's largest-by-far reservoir were delayed another five years, probably, because some idiot thought it might be a good idea to add hydropower to the rebuild. (Terrible idea, the head is too low.) That idea brought FERC, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, into the process.
Best case now, is the reservoir will have been out of service only TWENTY FIVE YEARS when finished. Me, I'm not expecting to ever see it.
States rights!
Sue him. Take it to the Supreme Court. Hand him a big loss and restore the congestion tax.
Before the fake cover pic was posted, I interpreted the "long live the king" post to be referring to Manhattan itself. Now, I'm just confused.
Grok understands Trump better than most Democrats pretend to.
Never saw the musical "Newsies", but the song makes it like anyone can declare to be the King who feels good enough for it at the moment. Seems very grass-roots.
Maybe he meant to type, LONG LIVE THE PARKING
Meade said...
And don’t forget DON King. Trump, 10 hours ago, posted this:
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114031011152723464
2/19/25, 7:25 PM
Do note the 3 promises to keep at the beginning of his term:
1. End Russia/Ukraine war
2. Fix USA border
3. Peace in the Middle East
That's for starters! And so far 2 is looking good and 1 is on the way. 3 may be too hopeful though, even for President Trump.
The Guardian headlined "Trump receives widespread backlash to social post calling himself ‘king’".
I don't have a problem with congestion pricing. It facilitates the move out of crowded Big Blue cities and might even reduce congestion.
Of course, I am retired and no longer have to commute to downtown Chicago. (I usually rode Amtrak, however.)
The first King of New York was Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange and stadholder of Holland. The last was George III, unless native chieftains are included.
Re: Congestion pricing...
When the government does it, they call it "Demand Management".
When you do it, they call it "Price gouging".
Pretty good comment by Grok. But too long. Like a high-school term paper
A-number-one, top of the list, king of the hill, A-number-one.
It’s great to see that Don King is still around. I was surprised to see he was only 93. He’s been around for so long.
Dion is the self-proclaimed "King of the New York Streets". Featured first song on his acclaimed 1989 album "Yo Frankie". Give it a listen on YT.
The song from “Newsies!” Both my girls are doing that show with their theater group right now; “King of New York” is their favorite song—I hear them singing it around the house daily. I’m surprised it didn’t come up on the list.
A very talented individual with time on his or her hands could use numerous scenes involving the King Christopher Walken and super-imposing the President’s head on him. That would be a laugh riot, this I can tell you.
I think a lot of people either are not aware or have forgotten that Trump was a very popular figure in New York a few decades ago, especially among blue collar workers. Back in the 1980s, Trump was one of the few public figures who seemed to be able to get things done in that town. I'm not saying that New York is going to become a GOP stronghold, but rolling back congestion pricing is the sort of thing that can make people believe that a return to sanity is possible. Before you know it, you might flip a few seats in Congress and the state legislature, and maybe you'd even get some moderates elected as mayor or governor. Well, a guy can dream.
So much for States Rights.
To those Trump supporters gloating about what goes around comes around; the wheel is still in spin and it's now moving faster.
Go ahead and end congestion pricing, but replace it with tolls on 59th St, Williamsburg, and Manhattan bridges.
Right on, Marcus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQpwhN03CHM
I asked AI and only got talk about the 1990 film. I asked again about figures from real-life history and got:
Al Capone, who's more associated with Chicago
Frank Lucas, the Harlem mobster and drug dealer
The Notorious B.I.G., a rapper who called himself "the King of New York"
I was looking for Peter Stuyvesant or Al Smith or Jimmy Walker or Bob Moses or Fiorello LaGuardia or FDR or Nelson Rockefeller or Ed Koch or Rudy Giuliani or even Donald Trump, but not everything is about politics.
I recall him saying at the Al Smith dinner, with apparent sincerity, that he loves New York, and that with the help of the assembled "leaders", including his political enemies, if he was elected he will make NY once again the greatest city in the world.
I believe that he was serious.
I have mixed feelings about congestion pricing. If anything, it should have been done on a trial basis, with a serious effort to study the impact, but that would never happen. But I have unmixed schadenfreude at Trump's pissing off Hochul.
You might have overlooked the saying "You come at the king you best not miss." New York is the city/state that "came at" Trump in the courts and with it's "miss" they made him more powerful then ever. Long live the King!
Trump doesn’t accept that the Northeast is lost to Republicans. We’re going to see more plays for the Northeast vote, particularly in New Jersey.
Go ahead and end congestion pricing, but replace it with tolls on 59th St, Williamsburg, and Manhattan bridges.
Trump could very likely just cancel bridge tolls too. The federal rationale is, any proposed toll on a highway receiving federal funds must have the DOT's permission. No doubt those bridges (or at least some of them) are also part of the federally-funded highway system.
I just saw King Kong the other day.
You beasts out there. Watch out for beauty! You don't want to do a swan dive off the Empire State building. That's my takeaway.
If you want to be happy...
King of New York, Schmuck of the World
By what authority or mechanism can the POTUS cancel by fiat a local policy implemented by a municipality for the purpose of raising funds while also reducing auto traffic within designated areas of the municipality?
Trump reminds me of Peter Sellers in the movie “Being There.”
I submit for the record a reminder that Chauncey Gardiner in Being There walked on water at the end of the movie. Be careful who you compare Trump with, folks.
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