Trump’s chance to lower costs, spark jobs and Make NY Buildable Again

Nypost · Aug 11, 2026 · 773 words · By John Faso

Infrastructure Cost Reduction Political Advocacy for Donald Trump Deregulation

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What to know about Infrastructure Cost Reduction

Trump’s chance to lower costs, spark jobs and Make NY Buildable Again See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 15

Techniques found 5

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center0%

Right100%

1 source compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Trump’s chance to lower costs, spark jobs and Make NY Buildable Again See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on Google President Donald Trump is a builder, and his plan to redevelop New York’s dilapidated Penn Station will leave a great mark on the city.

Common ground

Unfortunately, the price tag is estimated at $6 billion to $7 billion, which is a lot.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Causal Oversimplification: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Infrastructure Cost Reduction story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that the law... creates a legal standard that holds property owners and contractors strictly liable for any injuries sustained on a construction site — even if the worker is 99% responsible for his injuries?
How does this story connect Infrastructure Cost Reduction with Political Advocacy for Donald Trump over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/11/opinion/trumps-chance-to-lower-costs-spark-jobs-an…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 5 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

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Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Name Calling / Labeling 85% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Causal Oversimplification 75% confidence

Assuming a single cause for a complex issue.

Why it matters: Recognizing causal oversimplification helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Glittering Generalities 70% confidence

Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases ('freedom', 'justice') without specifics.

Why it matters: Recognizing glittering generalities helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Ad Hominem 80% confidence

Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself.

Why it matters: Recognizing ad hominem helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 15 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 5

info Single Source 5

verified Verified By Reference 3

help Insufficient Evidence 2

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Claim 1: “the law... creates a legal standard that holds property owners and contractors strictly liable for any injuries sustained on a construction site — even if the worker is 99% responsible for his injuries.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Multiple sources, including Wikipedia and legal firm websites, confirm that New York's Scaffold Law (Labor Law 240) holds owners and contractors strictly liable for gravity-related falls regardless of the worker's negligence.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Elizabeth S. Crowley (born November 27, 1977) is an American politician and trade association executive who has been president and chief executive officer of the Building Trades Employers' Association…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Crowley

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Scaffold Law is a New York State law that holds employers and property owners fully liable when an employee becomes injured due to a gravity-related fall while working at high elevations without p…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaffold_Law_(New_York)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — St. Patrick's Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, United States. It is the seat of the Archbishop of New York as well as a parish church. The cat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Patrick's_Cathedral_(New_Y…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “Today, we have fewer construction jobs than prior to the pandemic.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “Over the next 10 years, we believe unnecessary federal costs could drop by as much as $10 billion.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 4: “the price tag is estimated at $6 billion to $7 billion”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence mentions a $1.6 billion cost for a specific redevelopment (Moynihan) and a $1.9 billion loan for a bus terminal, but none of the sources confirm a $6-7 billion estimate for the overall Penn Station redevelopment.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Pennsylvania Station (also known as New York Penn Station or Penn Station) is the main intercity railroad station in New York City and the busiest transportation facility in the Western Hemisphere, se…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Penn_Station

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Newark Penn Station is an intermodal passenger station in Newark, New Jersey. One of the New York metropolitan area's major transportation hubs, Newark Penn Station is served by multiple rail and bus …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark_Penn_Station

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Pennsylvania Station (often abbreviated to Penn Station) was a historic railroad station in New York City that was built for, named after, and originally occupied by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). T…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Station_(1910–196…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “Illinois... repealed its absolute liability standard in 1995.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 6: “Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) has proposed federal legislation to waive the Scaffold Law on projects funded by Washington.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding legislation proposed by Rep. Nick Langworthy.

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Claim 7: “Insurance costs are as much as 500% higher in New York than in other states.”

SINGLE SOURCE

One web search result explicitly mentions a report stating construction insurance costs in NY are 200% to 500% higher than in nearby states due to the Scaffold Law, but this is not corroborated by a second independent source.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — New York, also called New York state, is a state located in the Northeastern United States. Bordering New England to its east, Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, and Canada to its north, New Yo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_(state)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — U.S. Route 9 (US 9) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Laurel, Delaware, to Champlain, New York. In New York, US 9 extends 324.72 miles (522.59 km) from the George W…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_9_in_New_York

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 8: “Across the nation, insurance generally consumes 2% to 4% of construction value; in New York the comparable figure is 8% to 10%.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence does not contain the specific percentages (2-4% national vs 8-10% NY) for insurance as a share of construction value.

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web search NEUTRAL — This Modern 5 Bed New Construction Home Has Everything Including an Elevator∙ 3-Car Garage ∙ HoustonLoston Enterprises2.8K views • 4 months agoLivePlaylist ()Mix (50+). 21:28. MUST SEE!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXwsP27SzMs

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web search NEUTRAL — The researchers also compared insurance premiums as a share of local home values. That’s a more precise measurement because it accounts for the fact that costlier homes are generally more expensive to…
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/08/climate/home-…

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web search NEUTRAL — That means regulatory costs account for 26.4% of the price of a new home.This comes as the population is growing, with Houston’s increasing 1.6% from 2024 to 2025, compared to a 0.5% increase national…
https://www.bisnow.com/houston/news/construction-development…

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Claim 9: “on highway and transit projects over the next five years, costs will fall by up to $2.3 billion.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the $2.3 billion cost reduction estimate.

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Claim 10: “the general counsel to the NYS School Construction Authority estimated that if the Scaffold Law were repealed, the city could build two or three entirely new schools every year.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The search results for 'General' returned dictionary definitions and insurance companies, failing to provide any information regarding the NYS School Construction Authority's estimates.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Since the higher ranks of General of the Army and General of the Air Force have been reserved for significant wartime use only (in modern times were recreated for World War II), the rank of general is…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_(United_States)

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web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · The meaning of GENERAL is involving, applicable to, or affecting the whole. How to use general in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/general

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web search NEUTRAL — Shop The General® car insurance and get a free quote today. Explore our auto insurance options to find the coverage you need at affordable rates.
https://www.thegeneral.com/

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Claim 11: “Data from all 50 states show that rates of injuries and fatalities on construction sites in New York are actually worse, not better, than in many other states — including neighboring New Jersey and Pennsylvania.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 12: “construction costs are inflated by 6% to 10% solely because of the Scaffold Law.”

SINGLE SOURCE

One source (Medium) mentions that by some estimates, the Scaffold Law increases overall construction costs by 10 percent, but this is not corroborated by another independent source.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The Scaffold Law is a New York State law that holds employers and property owners fully liable when an employee becomes injured due to a gravity-related fall while working at high elevations without p…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaffold_Law_(New_York)

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web search NEUTRAL — New York insurance costs constitute 12.5% of construction expenses, compared with 2.5% in neighboring Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Many construction companies refuse to work in New York, …
https://cicbca.org/202506-a-better-way-to-make-new-york-affo…

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web search NEUTRAL — 5. Reform the scaffold law to fall in line with nationwide standards.By some estimates, it increases overall construction costs by 10 percent. One paper found it might increase construction accidents …
https://medium.com/rand-corporation/how-new-york-city-can-ma…

verified

Claim 13: “The other 49 states all use a legal standard known as comparative negligence”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The evidence confirms that New York uses a 'pure' comparative negligence standard for many things, but it does not provide a comprehensive list of all other 49 states to verify they all use comparative negligence for construction injuries specifically.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 14: “A recent study by the Building Trades Employers Association... found that Penn Station costs could be trimmed by as much as $560 million if the feds waived that archaic law, known as the Scaffold Law”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the BTEA and its CEO Elizabeth Crowley are mentioned in the evidence, the specific figure of $560 million in savings for Penn Station is not corroborated by the provided search results.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A glazier is a tradesperson responsible for cutting, installing, and removing glass (and materials used as substitutes for glass, such as some plastics). They also refer to blueprints to figure out th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glazier

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A roofer, roof mechanic, or roofing contractor is a tradesperson who specializes in roof construction. Roofers replace, repair, and install the roofs of buildings, using a variety of materials, inclu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roofer

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 15: “In the 1980s, Trump took on repairs at the Wollman Ice Rink after the City had failed to get the job done over several years.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.