The Trump administration has launched an investigation into California’s high-speed rail project in what could be the first step in clawing back the $4 billion promised by the Biden administration to build out the first section of the line, from Merced to Bakersfield.

President Donald Trump canceled nearly $1 billion in federal funding for the high-speed rail project in 2019, during his first term. The Biden administration later restored the funding and, in December 2023, allocated $3.3 billion more.

While U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy questioned the cross-state high-speed rail project, he praised the Las Vegas-to-Los Angeles effort.

The transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, said the government would conduct a “compliance review” on a $3.1 billion grant, potentially threatening the viability of the troubled project.

The Trump administration said Thursday it is opening a review into whether to rescind about $4 billion awarded to California's High-Speed Rail project.

President Donald Trump and his administration are performing a compliance review of California's beleaguered high-speed rail that's supposed to link San Francisco with Southern California.