Trump Ends Funding for California High-Speed Rail

Donald Trump has declared an end to federal funding for California’s high-speed rail initiative, labeling it a mismanaged and costly project.

Trump criticized the venture, asserting, “It was severely expensive, overregulated, and essentially never delivered.” He went further, blaming California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, and referring to the project as a “boondoggle,” adding that it has cost taxpayers hundreds of billions without any tangible results.

In a statement, Trump noted, “We are pleased to announce that federal funding will no longer support California’s futile ambition for high-speed trains. This project, propelled by Governor Newsom, has only led to cost overruns and a complete waste of taxpayer dollars. The promised rail system still doesn’t exist. Thanks to Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, federal funding will not go towards this unnecessary endeavor any longer.”

This high-speed rail project got voter approval back in 2008, with plans to begin operations by 2020. However, as of 2025, construction has not commenced, and costs have escalated past $100 billion.

Reportedly, voters initially approved borrowing $100 billion under former Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to cover roughly a third of the projected costs. Yet, five years past the deadline, the project remains incomplete, leading to increased scrutiny. Trump’s call for an investigation into the management of the rail initiative gained traction in early February when he remarked, “The trains being built between Los Angeles and San Francisco are the worst management project I’ve ever seen.”

It’s a significant shift from the Trump administration regarding this long-controversial project.