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Trump Laments NYC's Horse-Drawn Carriage Ban
Confirmed
In Short: Supporters of the ban argue that horse-drawn carriages have become a public safety liability in an increasingly busy Central Park.
President Donald Trump expressed sadness over the end of horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park, which Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced earlier this month.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, 'The Horse-drawn Carriage in New York City is a quintessential New York experience. So sad that, for political reasons, we will see it go!'
Mamdani's spokesperson stated that the city has been working closely with various stakeholders to ensure a just transition that protects workers while ending horse-drawn carriages in Central Park.
The ban comes after a tragic accident this year where an 18-year-old tourist was killed when thrown from a carriage while the driver was not on board.
Critics argue that the ban is anti-worker and violates constitutional rights. TWU International President John Samuelsen called the legislation a 'train wreck of constitutional and due process violations.'
Carriage drivers and owners are concerned about the financial impact of the ban. Christina Hansen, who has been driving carriages for over a decade, said she feels 'disrespected' by the lack of guaranteed compensation for her license, which is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Mayor Eric Adams' spokesperson, Dora Pekec, acknowledged that the administration is 'in discussions' about compensation for medallion owners.
Supporters of the ban argue that horse-drawn carriages have become a public safety liability in an increasingly busy Central Park.
Chicago and Montreal have already banned horse-drawn carriages, with Philadelphia's City Council voting to outlaw them in June.
The ban is set to take effect, ending a tradition that has been a fixture of Central Park for over a century.
What's confirmed
- "The Horse-drawn Carriage in New York City is a quintessential New York experience. So sad that, for political reasons, we will see it go!" he said in a separate post.
- "When there is a car accident in the area, of which there are many, they don’t stop cars from entering the Park. So why would they stop the Carriages? It was a Great Tradition. Another piece of History that’s gone. It will be missed!"
- "So sad to see the beloved Central Park Horse-drawn Carriage Industry ending after over a Century, based largely on one tragic accident," Trump posted on Truth Social.
What's still developing
- Menin’s office referred The Post to a statement she released last week, justifying the need for the ban by citing the “tragic and preventable” death of 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan who was killed this year when he was thrown from a carriage while the driver wasn’t on board.
- The action makes good on a promise the TWU had made the day before in a letter to the council, warning that legal action would come “the minute the ink dries” on the legislation.
- “We are reviewing the letter. We are confident the legislation is grounded in the law and will be prepared to defend it,” Nicholas Paolucci, a spokesperson for the Law Department, said in a statement.
- “This has been a long time coming,” she said.
- “To be clear, that was language that, you know, was worked out with the administration,” she told reporters at City Hall.
- “You say you’re going after billionaires, but you’re really going after the underdogs,” Slot said.
- “There are people who are owed money on medallions, who have planned families, had children, bought houses, taken out loans,” Hansen said.