United States President Donald Trump has terminated approximately $4 billion in federal funding for California’s high-speed rail project, labeling it a “boondoggle” and a “train to nowhere”. In a social media post, Trump stated that he had “freed” taxpayers from the “disastrously overpriced” proposed railway linking Los Angeles and San Francisco, which has faced significant delays and cost overruns.
“This boondoggle, led by the incompetent Governor of California, Gavin Newscum, has cost Taxpayers Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we have received NOTHING in return except Cost Overruns,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The Railroad we were promised still does not exist, and never will.”
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed Trump’s sentiments, saying, “It’s time for this boondoggle to die.” Duffy emphasized that federal money is not a “blank cheque” and that taxpayers’ dollars should only go to projects that accomplish significant goals.
The 1,249km rail line, approved by California voters in 2008, was initially expected to be completed by 2020 at a cost of $33 billion. However, the project’s estimated cost has ballooned to $89 billion to $128 billion, with services not expected to begin until 2033 at the earliest. Governor Gavin Newsom slammed the Trump administration’s move as “illegal” and vowed to put “all options on the table” to oppose the funding cut. “Trump wants to hand China the future and abandon the Central Valley. We won’t let him,” Newsom said.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) conducted an exhaustive compliance review, which resulted in a comprehensive report highlighting significant concerns with the project. The FRA found that the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) lacks the capacity to deliver the project by 2033, has overrepresented its ridership projections, and faces a substantial funding gap. Secretary Duffy stated that CHSRA’s mismanagement and incompetence have proven it cannot build the project on time or on budget.