Mass. Gov. Healey blasts Trump administration’s South Station takeover threat

BOSTON — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is slamming the Trump administration for suggesting a federal takeover of Boston’s South Station.

“What the Trump Administration is doing in DC and now threatening to do at South Station is outrageous, wrong, and has nothing to do with transportation or public safety,” Healey said in a statement shared with Boston 25 News.

Healey’s stern message came after Deputy Director of Transportation Steven Bradbury said the Trump administration needs to “address the cleanliness, the crime, the safety, and security” of South Station for workers and passengers.

Bradbury‘s comments came during the rollout of a new Acela train at South Station and after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the Trump administration was taking control of Washington’s Union Station from Amtrak.

“It’s more political theater, more political power grabs from Donald Trump,” Healey added. “We don’t need or want his interference here. We’re not going to let the guy who went bankrupt six times take over our train stations,” added Healey.

The comments are raising questions over whether the federal government has legal authority to do anything.

Unlike Union Station, which is owned by the Department of Transportation, South Station is owned by the MBTA.

“This is not a game of authoritarian monopoly. This is a government with laws and a constitution that clearly shows who is in control of what,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

Mayor Wu said there’s no legal avenue for a federal takeover of South Station.

Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft also weighed in.

“I think we need to address Mass and Cass and homelessness, which I think would

eradicate some of the issues that that are going on at South Station,” said Kraft.

The Trump administration has not cited specific numbers about crime at South Station.

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