Trump admin delivers another major blow to California high speed rail

The Trump administration has revoked an additional $175 million in federal funding for California's high-speed rail project, intensifying the political and financial challenges facing the long-delayed infrastructure effort. The move comes on the heels of a separate action in July to cancel $4 billion in previously committed federal grants, sparking new legal and political confrontations between the federal government and California officials. The rescinded funds are the latest setback to California's vision of connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles via a three-hour high-speed train. Originally approved by voters in 2008 with a $10 billion bond, the project has since been plagued by delays, ballooning costs, and limited construction progress. No portion of the line is currently operational, and the estimated cost has risen to $128 billion, up from an original $33 billion. Completion of a partial route between Merced and Bakersfield is now projected for 2033. The Department of Transportation announced on Tuesday that the funds were withdrawn from four major rail-related projects, including the Madera high-speed rail station and track upgrades in San Jose and Merced. "In twenty years, California has not been able to lay a single track of high-speed rail. Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg didn't care about these failures and dumped hundreds of millions of dollars into the state's wish list of related fantasy projects," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in the statement. "The waste ends here. As of today, the American people are done investing in California's failed experiment. Instead, my Department will focus on making travel great again by investing in well-managed projects that can make projects like high-speed rail a reality." The action marks the latest instance in a yearslong dispute between President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom over the viability and management of the state's marquee transportation initiative. California has already filed a lawsuit against the federal government over the earlier $4 billion cancellation, labeling the cuts as illegal and politically motivated. Officials in Sacramento have indicated they may expand legal efforts in response to the latest decision. The Trump administration has also directed the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to conduct a comprehensive review of all grants already obligated to the project. In a prior move in July, the FRA terminated $4 billion in funding following a 315-page internal review that cited the California High-Speed Rail Authority's (CHSRA) inability to meet deadlines and project benchmarks, particularly the completion of the Merced to Bakersfield line by 2033. A spokesperson for the California High-Speed Rail Authority said: "This is a continuation of the Trump Administration's illegal, politically motivated, and baseless attack on California High-Speed Rail and Central Valley communities "The facts are clear: California is delivering the only true high-speed system under construction in North America." State lawmakers have warned that the loss of federal funding could require California to commit an additional $1 billion per year to keep the project viable.