President Donald Trump took control of the project to rebuild the Midtown train hub from the MTA last year and turned it over to Amtrak, which put Byford in charge.
Byford previously served as the head of New York City Transit in the MTA, where riders gave him the affectionate nickname “Train Daddy.” Lieber’s latest remarks represented an escalation in their dispute over the federal government’s management of the Penn Station project.
“I always knew Andy was a little conservative on social issues, but I never expected he would go full MAGA, and that's what he's done,” Lieber said Thursday. Lieber was responding to an op-ed published in the Daily News where Byford accused the MTA of holding up the project by not cooperating.
Byford also praised Trump. Trump is pushing the project and chose a developer last spring, with an ambitious goal of breaking ground by the end of 2027. Byford said the MTA could delay the work by not answering basic questions.
“Ultimately, the new Penn Station will be built — the president is going to see to it,” Byford wrote. “With unprecedented leadership from the federal government and the support of our chosen master developer, we have met every project deadline and intend to break ground next year.