Overview
- The Long Island Rail Road, which halted service early Saturday after workers walked out, left an estimated 300,000 daily commuters without trains.
- Gov. Kathy Hochul said the Trump administration’s National Mediation Board cut talks short and pushed the dispute toward a strike.
- President Trump denied any role in the walkout, saying he first heard about it that morning and telling Hochul on Truth Social to call him if she wants help.
- Trump used the post to endorse Republican Bruce Blakeman for governor, turning the shutdown into a campaign moment.
- Mediaite reported that unions seek a 5% raise plus a retroactive 9.5% cost‑of‑living bump, while Hochul warned those terms could drive higher taxes and fares and urged nonstop bargaining by the MTA and unions.