Policy

Trump admin threatens to kill California’s high-speed rail project

It accused the state of mishandling taxpayer money.
California High-Speed Rail Authority crews work at the Hanford Viaduct construction site, Tuesday, April 15, 2025, in Kings County, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The U.S. Department of Transportation said Wednesday it would cut about $4 billion in grants to build a long-planned high-speed rail line connecting Northern and Southern California, the latest in an escalating feud between the Trump administration and the nation’s largest state.

In a letter to the California High Speed Rail Authority, the Federal Railroad Administration accused the state of mishandling taxpayer money to deliver a rail system that is far shorter than initially envisioned.

Stay informed
Subscribe to keep reading.

Sign up today to get the latest state new at your fingertips and in your inbox.