Trump to Redirect $2.4B in California High-Speed Rail Aid
Duffy Says Funds to Be Part of $5B Package for Intercity Passenger Rail; in Total, About $4B Has Been Slashed From Golden State Project
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The Trump administration plans to allocate roughly $2.4 billion that was stripped from California’s embattled high-speed rail to other transit projects.
Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Sept. 22 that the funds are a part of a $5 billion package for the National Railroad Partnership Program, which would provide money to intercity passenger rail projects that emphasize safety and critical infrastructure upgrades.
The announcement comes after the federal government moved to slash roughly $4 billion of aid from the state’s high-speed rail project, which has been plagued with significant cost overruns and delays since its approval in 2008. President Donald Trump and Duffy have been longtime critics of that project, arguing that the effort has wasted taxpayer dollars.
“Our new National Railroad Partnership Program will emphasize safety — our No. 1 priority,” Duffy said.
States, public transit agencies and national passenger railroad Amtrak are among eligible applicants to compete for the aid, according to a release. The funds would be directed to projects that align with the administration’s “focus on the American family and ensuring a more seamless travel experience.”
Secretary Sean Duffy has sent letters to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority outlining concerns about safety and security. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg)
Crime Crackdown
The redirecting of money from California comes as Duffy sharpens his nationwide crackdown on crime in transit systems. He’s threatened to pull funding from agencies that fail to comply and show that they have taken actions to reduce crime.
Earlier this month, the DOT launched an investigation of North Carolina’s light rail system following the Aug. 22 stabbing of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, on the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte.
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The administration has been targeting Democratic strongholds since Trump took office, deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles and Washington while threatening to send troops to Chicago and Baltimore.
Duffy has sent letters to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority outlining concerns about safety and security on those systems earlier this year.
Last week, Duffy called on the Chicago Transit Authority and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to summarize all sources of funds for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 related to security, safety, funds from federal agencies and the Department of ϳԹland Security or risk losing government support.
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