California Project To Face Investigation, Trump Administration Official Says

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced he is directing the Federal Rail Administration (FRA) to investigate the allocated funding to California’s high-speed rail project.

Duffy criticized California’s inability to make progress on the project.

U.S. transportation secretary orders investigation into California’s high-speed rail projecthttps://t.co/4V3HJLygjF

— The Center Square (@thecentersquare) February 22, 2025

“The Panama Canal took 10 years to build. Golden Gate Bridge: 4 years. Hoover Dam: 5 years. China builds high-speed rail in 2-3 years. In @GavinNewsom’s California? Almost $16 BILLION in 16 YEARS. Not ONE track laid—just a couple of bridges to nowhere,” Duffy said.

“California protesters are mad that I’m calling for an investigation,” he added.

“It’s been 17 years and 16 billion dollars. And no rail has been built,” Duffy said.

“So if you want to go protest somewhere, if you wanna shout at someone, go to the governor’s mansion. Go talk to Democrats in the legislature who have brought us this crappy project,” he continued.

“We’re done with it,” Duffy added.

WATCH:

The Panama Canal took 10 years to build.

Golden Gate Bridge: 4 years.
Hoover Dam: 5 years.
China builds high-speed rail in 2-3 years.

In @GavinNewsom’s California? Almost $16 BILLION in 16 YEARS. Not ONE track laid—just a couple of bridges to nowhere.

California protesters are… pic.twitter.com/u8Scr570hB

— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 22, 2025

From The Center Square:

So far, $15.7 billion has been invested in the project, with $2.7 billion spent by the federal government. Duffy said he is directing the Federal Railroad Administration to investigate whether the Trump administration should keep the Biden administration’s promise to give an additional $4 billion.

Estimates have put the project’s ultimate price tag as high as $135 billion. State and federal Republican lawmakers, who joined Duffy at a Thursday news conference at the Union Station, a historic Los Angeles train depot, cited a lower $128 billion estimate they felt was still too high for the project. They called for ending the project and spending the money on other needs such as water and roads.

The Trump administration will look at how previous federal money was spent, Duffy said. “We can’t just say we’re going to give money and then not hold states accountable to how they spend that money.”

Duffy expressed doubt that the rail will be completed if more money is spent.

“There is no timeline for when you’re going to have a high-speed rail that goes from Los Angeles to San Francisco,” the former Wisconsin congressman and ex-Fox Business host said.

The project started in 2008 but missed its scheduled completion date of 2020. The first tracks, for a 171-mile stretch from Merced to Bakersfield, were laid down in January in Kern County.

WATCH:

NewScum’s scam! pic.twitter.com/utMarI6mUu

— Pismo (@Pismo_B) February 16, 2025

“California’s high-speed rail disaster is the worst public infrastructure failure in U.S. history,” Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) said.

WATCH:

HERE WE GO Donald Trump’s new Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announcing a federal investigation into California’s High-Speed Rail Project’s funding and management

“Legislators demanded an audit to investigate where the $17 billion already spent has gone”

“California’s… pic.twitter.com/4EM6SwUGzW

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) February 20, 2025

Per The Epoch Times:

The rail authority’s inspector general in a Feb. 3 report anticipated further delays and a $6.5-billon funding gap in the 171-mile stretch currently under construction from Bakersfield to Merced in the state’s Central Valley region—an interior segment of the envisioned 400-mile track from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

Duffy said he would direct the FRA to focus on the $4 billion promised by the Biden administration to fund two construction projects planned for this segment.

The investigation, which will review how federal money has been spent and whether the state is in compliance with federal agreements, will help determine whether billions in taxpayer dollars should remain committed, Duffy said.

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“We want to make sure the California taxpayer understands that even though they might be excited about this project, [it’s] not going to happen,” Duffy said. “There is no timeline in which you’re going to have a high-speed rail that goes from L.A. to San Francisco.”

If California wants to continue to fund the rail, Duffy said, it can do so. “But we in the Trump administration are going to take a look at whether this project is worthy of continual investment.”

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.