So here's where we are with the Gateway rail tunnel between New York City and New Jersey: The Trump administration says the money is coming. It's just not quite here yet.

On Friday, government lawyers told U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas that federal funding for the $16 billion project will resume after being frozen for four months. Part of the $205 million in overdue payments is supposedly on its way to the Gateway Development Commission, with the remainder expected by early next week.

Court Order? More Like a Suggestion

There's just one small problem. Judge Vargas had ordered the suspension to end by 5 p.m. Thursday. By midday Friday, the commission and Democratic officials reported that exactly zero dollars had arrived. The deadline came and went like a subway train that never showed up.

The funding freeze forced layoffs of roughly 1,000 union workers and brought construction to a standstill last week, prompting New York and New Jersey to sue the U.S. Department of Transportation. Turns out suing works faster than waiting for the phone to ring.

No Money, No Construction

The Gateway Development Commission made it clear that construction stays paused until the $205 million actually lands in their account. Promises don't pay contractors.

"We are working with our contractors to plan how to deploy these funds in the most effective way and get workers back on the job to resume some construction as soon as possible," the commission said Friday.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul kept her message simple: "Enough with the chaos and delays. Get people back to work."

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill wrote on X: "The President illegally canceled the most important infrastructure project in the nation. We took him to court. We won. A judge ordered him to release the money."

Now everyone waits to see if early next week means Monday or "sometime before Friday."