FRESNO, CA, TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 - Construction continues on the San Joaquin River Viaduct section of the California High Speed Rail Project. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Washington D.C. – In a move that threatens to derail America’s only active high-speed rail initiative, the Trump administration announced Wednesday that it will rescind $4 billion in federal funding previously allocated to California’s long-delayed bullet train project. The U.S. Department of Transportation cited chronic delays, cost overruns, and what it called “unrealistic ridership projections” as justification for the decision.
The decision marks the second time Donald Trump has attempted to claw back funding from California’s rail project. His first effort was reversed by President Biden in 2021. Now, with Trump back in office, the administration is again targeting the project — not only halting the latest installment of federal support but also signaling it may seek repayment of previous funds.
A 315-page report from the Federal Railroad Administration issued last month detailed what it called serious shortcomings in the state’s oversight and financing. The report focused on the project’s 171-mile initial operating segment between Merced and Bakersfield, a stretch that still lacks $7 billion in identified funding. Originally pitched as a transformative 800-mile corridor linking San Francisco and Los Angeles, the project was approved by voters in 2008 with a $10 billion bond and an expected price tag of $33 billion. That number has since ballooned to $128 billion, with the full line unlikely to be completed before the mid-2040s.
But the California High-Speed Rail Authority argues that the decision is political, not practical. The agency contends that the state has made substantial progress, with 119 miles of active construction in the Central Valley, more than 50 major structures completed, and track-laying now underway following years of land acquisition and environmental reviews. Passenger service between Merced and Bakersfield is now projected for the early 2030s.
“Canceling these grants without cause isn’t just wrong — it’s illegal,” said Authority CEO Ian Choudri. He added that California has met every obligation required under its federal agreements, most recently affirmed by a February 2025 review.
Governor Gavin Newsom framed the move as an attempt to sabotage a national infrastructure project and abandon a region that has long been neglected by Washington. “Trump wants to hand China the future and abandon the Central Valley,” he wrote on social media. “We won’t let him.”
While the administration insists the decision is based on performance, the timing and tone — including transportation secretary Sean Duffy labeling the project a “boondoggle” — suggest a broader effort to rebuke California’s ambitions. High-speed rail has long been a symbol of the state’s commitment to climate-forward, long-term planning. Ending support now appears less about cost containment and more about making a statement.
The full 800-mile vision may remain distant, but for a state already deep in construction and political investment, the real question is whether the federal government will be a partner — or an obstacle — in shaping the nation’s transportation future.
