President Donald Trump is pulling federal funding for one of California’s most ambitious—and controversial—projects as his feud with the state’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, rages on. Trump announced that he had “officially freed” American taxpayers from funding the state’s long-planned high-speed train,

California Gov. Gavin Newsom called President Trump a 'son of a b----' over immigration raids, and he criticized the administration's approach as "weakness masquerading as strength."

Jeremy Lindenfeld, Capital & Main This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capital & Main, a 2022-2023 LRN partner. Sign up for Dispatches to get our stories in your inbox every week.

President Donald Trump, right, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom speak to the media upon Trump’s arrival at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.

President Donald Trump, right, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom speak to the media upon Trump’s arrival at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.

Donald Trump speaks with Gavin Newsom, as they view damage from wildfires in Paradise, California on November 17, 2018. ( Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Shares

President Donald Trump, right, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom speak to the media upon Trump’s arrival at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.

The project, which aims to link Los Angeles and San Francisco, has been beset by rising costs and delays. Gov. Gavin Newsom called the pulling of funds “illegal.”