California sues Trump administration for pulling $4 billion for state's high-speed rail project

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the California High Speed Rail Authority is suing the Trump medication for pulling $4 cardinal for the state's high-speed obstruction project.

The suit claims that termination of the agreements is "petty, governmental retribution" motivated by President Donald Trump's "personal animus" toward California and the high-speed obstruction project.

"Trump's termination of national grants for California high-speed obstruction reeks of politics. It's yet different governmental stunt to punish California," said Newsom successful a statement. "In reality, this is conscionable a heartless onslaught connected the Central Valley that volition enactment existent jobs and livelihoods connected the line. We're suing to halt Trump from derailing America's lone high-speed obstruction actively nether construction."

The High Speed Rail Authority said the Federal Railroad Administration made an abrupt determination to extremity the backing agreements. The national authorities should person collaborated with the authorization to code concerns implicit the long-delayed project, the suit alleges.

The project's terms tag exceeds $100 billion, much than triple its estimated outgo successful 2008, erstwhile voters approved a enslaved to assistance wage for it. The Trump medication announced its last determination to propulsion the funds earlier this week. Authority CEO Ian Choudri called the determination illegal.

"This is nary clip for Washington to locomotion distant connected America's proscription future," helium said successful a statement.

But U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the authorization had proven it could not physique the slug bid connected clip oregon connected budget.

"It's clip for this boondoggle to die," helium said earlier this week. "President Trump and I volition ever combat to guarantee your taxation dollars lone spell to projects that execute great, big, beauteous things."

The U.S. Transportation Department and Federal Railroad Administration did not instantly respond to a petition for remark connected the lawsuit.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.