News Summary

President Donald Trump has criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom over the High-Speed Rail project, calling him ‘unelectable.’ Trump claims mismanagement has led to soaring costs, while Newsom’s office defends the initiative and asserts its economic importance. The project faces federal scrutiny and funding issues, with ongoing challenges such as inflation, lawsuits, and environmental reviews causing delays. Despite criticism, Newsom’s administration emphasizes job creation and project continuity as they prepare for budget discussions tied to carbon-trading funding.

California – President Donald Trump has openly criticized Governor Gavin Newsom over the management of the California High-Speed Rail project, labeling him “unelectable” and suggesting that his political future may be in jeopardy. Trump, who expressed a willingness to see Newsom make a run for president, used recent White House discussions with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as a backdrop for his comments.

Trump pointed to worsening financial projections for the high-speed rail project, which aims to connect Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. The project’s cost is now estimated between $88 billion and $128 billion—significantly higher than the $33 billion initially approved by voters in 2008. Critics allege that mismanagement has led the project to spiral “totally out of control.”

In response, Newsom’s office defended the rail initiative and criticized Trump’s business failures. They warned that discontinuing investments in the project would allow China to take an infrastructure lead. Meanwhile, the U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the Federal Railroad Administration is investigating the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s spending. The investigation could potentially result in the withdrawal of federal funding if spending irregularities are uncovered.

The federal grants in question include a $3.1 billion award from 2023 and a $1 billion grant from 2024, earmarked for work between Merced and Bakersfield. Challenges faced by the project include inflation, ongoing lawsuits over land acquisitions, extensive environmental reviews, and budget disputes. These issues have inevitably caused delays in the completion schedule, leaving only a segment of approximately 119 miles in the Central Valley currently under construction, which has helped generate more than 15,000 jobs.

Despite the ongoing challenges, Newsom’s administration continues to assert that construction progresses and job creation remains a priority. Consequently, the remarks from Trump are seen as a distraction by officials keen on emphasizing the project’s importance to California’s economy and future infrastructure.

Trump’s criticism of Newsom has included previous comments about water policy in Southern California, reinforcing his view that the governor’s governing style is subpar. Furthermore, the California High-Speed Rail Authority maintains its stance that halting the project would result in the waste of billions of dollars already invested while emphasizing the necessity of completing the high-speed rail as a long-term transportation solution.

As discussions about the project continue, Newsom is preparing for budget meetings centered around the rail’s primary funding source, which is tied to California’s carbon-trading program. The outcome of these talks will be crucial in determining the future financial support for the high-speed rail initiative as it navigates significant political and economic hurdles.