Trump administration asks California for its money back

The Trump administration announced Tuesday it plans to withdraw the $3.5 billion the federal government allocated for California’s high-speed rail project. The U.S. Department of Transportation told California it planned to cancel almost $1 billion in funds, and it wanted the state to pay back the $2.5 billion already spent. Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said the current plans for the project would cost too much and take too long, and he would focus instead on building a line through the Central Valley. Cost estimates for a bullet train from San Francisco to Los Angeles have more than doubled since the original proposal, now standing at $77 billion.

The announcement comes the day after a coalition of 16 states, led by California, filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency in order to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Newsom called the withdrawal “political retribution” for the lawsuit.

The president said the “failed Fast Train project” had become “hundreds of times more expensive than the desperately needed Wall!” The Transportation Department said California forfeited the funds, and that Newsom’s plan to scale back the project was a “significant retreat from the State’s initial vision and commitment and frustrated the purpose for which the Federal funding was awarded.” California has until March 5 to formally respond. Newsom said the state intends to fight for the money.

California has now sued the Trump administration 46 times.