Trump Administration Revokes $4B Federal Funding for California High-Speed Rail

The Trump administration has officially revoked $4 billion in federal funding for California's high-speed rail project, citing massive cost overruns and delays. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the project a "train to nowhere," criticizing the increase in estimated costs from $33 billion to $135 billion with no completion date. President Trump echoed these sentiments on social media, labeling the project a scam and vowing that no federal dollars would go toward it. California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the decision as illegal and indicated the state would explore all options to challenge the funding cut. The project, initially approved by voters in 2008, has struggled with delays and escalating budgets, and now state officials are focusing on completing a smaller segment between Bakersfield and Merced by 2033. This funding withdrawal marks another point of contention between the Trump administration and California, which has faced other federal pushbacks recently.