The Trump administration intensified its decade-long battle over California's high-speed rail project this week, launching an investigation that could revoke $4 billion in federal funds for the repeatedly delayed initiative. This marks the latest clash in a 16-year saga that began with voters approving $10 billion in bonds for a San Francisco-Los Angeles route initially promised by 2020.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the probe at Los Angeles' Union Station, declaring
I'm demanding proof California deserves these funds. American taxpayers shouldn't bankroll perpetual failure.The remarks drew boos from protesters chanting Build the rail!outside the press conference.
Current project status includes:
- 171-mile Central Valley segment operational by 2033
- Full SF-LA route requiring $106 billion
- 15,000 construction jobs created since 2015
The investigation renews a cycle of political reversals – President Trump canceled $1 billion in 2019 funding, which the Biden administration restored and expanded through 2023. Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri maintains every federal dollar remains accountable, citing 50 completed bridges and viaducts.
Republican critics like Rep. Kevin Kiley call the project America's worst infrastructure failure, while labor unions argue abandoning it would cede global leadership. Democratic strategists suggest the probe represents election-year posturing, noting California's pivotal role in 2024 battleground states.