Duffy, Nadler tangle at hearing: 'Don't call me a liar here'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) butted heads on Wednesday over the safety of the New York City subway system and the accuracy of crime data statistics.

In testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Duffy warned Nadler not to call him a liar after the congressman said Duffy has “misrepresented” the facts from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which is responsible for the subways in New York.

“As recently as last week, you again attacked the MTA, claiming that there’s a surge in subway assaults and accusing the agency of withholding information,” Nadler said at the hearing. “But many of your statements misrepresent the facts and ignore documentation already provided to your department. I want to address some of those claims directly.”

“First, are you aware that major crime in the transit system, including assaults, is down 3 percent since last year and down 8 percent since 2019?” Nadler asked.

Duffy told Nadler those statistics were wrong and that MTA systems have seen a 60 percent increase in assaults since 2019.

Nadler countered: “Why do you continue to ignore this and lie about this in your public comments?”

Duffy pushed back, asking why Nadler continues “to lie about people being lit on fire in subways or pushed in front of trains?”

“You should be fighting to make sure your subways are safe,” Duffy said. “If you want people to ride subways, let’s make subways safe.”

“Our subways are safe, and I gave you these statistics,” Nadler added.

“They’re wrong,” Duffy said.

MTA published its latest official crime statistics in May 2025, showing total major felonies on subways down 3.9 percent over the same period in 2024. Total major felonies are down 7.3 percent compared with the same five-month period in 2019.

Felony assaults, however — one of the categories contained in “major crimes” — have risen by 18 percent compared with the same period in 2024, and by more than 60 percent since 2019, according to the MTA crime statistics.

Nadler and Duffy also clashed over congestion pricing in the city, which the Trump administration has opposed.

The pricing scheme charges drivers $9 per day during peak hours to enter Manhattan's central business district, and $2.25 during off hours. Nadler said the charge was no different than any other toll road, arguing there was no precedent for the Trump administration's push to repeal the program.

Duffy contended that drivers can choose alternate roads if they want to avoid normal turnpikes, unlike drivers who want to enter New York's "Congestion Relief Zone."

“Secretary Duffy, why do you continue to lie about New York City?” Nadler asked.

“You’re lying. Don’t call me a liar here,” Duffy countered.

“I’m calling you a liar because you’ve lied continually,” Nadler responded.