The Trump administration has withdrawn approximately $4 billion in federal funding for California’s high-speed rail project. The decision, announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, follows a previous warning from the administration. President Donald Trump criticized the project on Truth Social, calling it a “train to nowhere” and claiming it was “severely overpriced, overregulated, and never delivered.”
In a post on his Truth Social account, President Trump said, “Thanks to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, not a SINGLE penny in Federal Dollars will go towards this Newscum SCAM ever again.”
The federal funding constituted less than a quarter of the project’s total budget, with the remainder coming from state sources, including a voter-approved bond and California’s cap-and-trade program. The project, first approved by voters in 2008, has faced escalating costs and delays. Currently, the focus is on a 119-mile segment connecting Bakersfield and Merced, expected to be operational by 2033.
California High-Speed Rail Authority officials argue that the federal funding revocation is unwarranted and illegal, asserting that they have fulfilled their obligations. Authority CEO Ian Choudri stated, “Canceling these grants without cause isn’t just wrong — it’s illegal.” The authority is seeking private investment to help cover the project’s estimated $100 billion cost.
California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the funding withdrawal, vowing to explore all options to contest the decision. He stated, “Trump wants to hand China the future and abandon the Central Valley. We won’t let him.” The state plans to extend its cap-and-trade program, a key funding source, through 2045 to support the project.
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