President Donald Trump wants the $3.5 billion back from California for the high-speed rail line project that would have connected major cities in the north and south of the state following California Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement he was scaling back the plan, Politico reports.
Trump on Wednesday tweeted that California officials "owe the Federal Government three and a half billion dollars. We want that money back now."
California started construction on the line in 2015, a project backed by $10 billion from the state and $2.5 billion from the federal government. It was most recently projected to cost $77 billion.
Newsom did not officially cancel the project but said it would "cost too much and take too long" as currently planned.
"There simply isn't a path to get from Sacramento to San Diego, let alone from San Francisco to L.A.," Mr. Newsom said. "I wish there were."
California could be forced to give the money back to the federal government if it misses Central Valley construction by a December 2022 deadline, according to Politico.
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