New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she pushed back in a phone call with President Donald Trump on Monday regarding the administration's dramatic capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, telling him any action of such magnitude required congressional authorization even after U.S. forces brought Maduro to Manhattan to face federal drug charges.
Hochul, a Democrat, made the remarks at a news conference marking the first anniversary of New York City's congestion pricing program, which has been under legal scrutiny and challenged by the federal government.
Asked about conversations with Trump and whether she feared the administration might take new steps to end congestion pricing unilaterally, Hochul said she had spoken with the president just before the event and the discussion shifted from infrastructure to foreign policy.
"I just said I disagree," Hochul said. "You've got to go to Congress.
"You've got to get authority. Kind of important to do things like that."
Hochul, who referred to Maduro as "a bad guy," said constitutional limits matter even in the face of perceived threats — a clear criticism of Trump's recent overseas operation.
Newsmax has contacted the White House for comment.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured Saturday in a U.S. military operation in Caracas and flown to New York, where they are being held in federal custody.
They were arraigned in Manhattan on Monday on a superseding indictment that includes narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy charges as part of a case that dates to an indictment filed in 2020. Both pleaded not guilty.
The capture and transfer represent one of the few instances in modern history in which U.S. forces have seized a foreign head of government, drawing global attention and questions about executive authority and international law.
Hochul's remarks came as New York marked one year since the launch of the program, which assesses tolls on vehicles entering Manhattan's central business district to reduce traffic and fund transit improvements.
The Trump administration has challenged the program, asserting federal concerns over regulatory approvals and threats to withhold certain transportation funds if the state proceeds. The state sued, arguing that congestion pricing is within its rights to manage traffic, environment, and transit funding.
A federal court has issued an injunction preventing the government from acting to stop the congestion pricing program while litigation continues, and Hochul said she is confident of victory.
"We have an injunction to stop what he's doing right now," Hochul said. "We feel very confident of our position in court."
Hochul said she also raised other priorities in her talk with Trump, including the Gateway Tunnel project and plans for Penn Station before the conversation turned to Venezuela.
"I'm not afraid of taking on the fight with him or anybody else who attacks our authority as a state and a city," Hochul said. "I will stand up and defend that right every day of the week."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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