Trump Accuses Newsom of ‘Incompetent’ Leadership Amid California Rail Project Crisis

President Donald Trump on Tuesday expressed astonishment that California Governor Gavin Newsom is considering a presidential bid, accusing the Democrat of leaving the state “poorly managed and vulnerable to criticism.”

In an Oval Office interview held shortly after his administration filed a lawsuit against California over its sanctuary policies, Trump repeatedly criticized Newsom’s leadership, labeling him “incompetent” and stating that California suffers under his governance.

“People love the dream of California, but they hate what’s happening to them,” Trump remarked, asserting that the state requires “proper leadership” it is not receiving from its current governor.

Newsom has become a leading contender within the Democratic Party for the 2028 presidential race, according to RealClearPolitics polling averages. He holds 24% support among Democrats, followed by former Vice President Kamala Harris at 21%, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 11%, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York at 8%.

Trump warned that Newsom’s tenure as governor would significantly impact any future presidential campaign, particularly highlighting California’s high-speed rail initiative—a project originally intended to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“He has the train, the train to nowhere,” Trump stated in the interview. “It was supposed to be a simple train from San Francisco to Los Angeles, but it’s now the greatest cost runover I’ve ever seen.”

The rail project, currently estimated at $135 billion, is the most expensive rail endeavor in U.S. history. Initially planned for completion by 2020, construction has been repeatedly delayed, with current projections targeting only a limited Central Valley segment between Bakersfield and Merced by 2030—a far cry from the state’s largest population centers.

Funding for the project has also proven unstable, with billions of dollars in federal support withdrawn and reinstated across multiple administrations, leaving California taxpayers to cover the costs.

During his recent State of the State address, Newsom defended the rail initiative as “back on track,” noting progress including over 60 miles of completed guideway in the Central Valley.

Trump dismissed these claims, insisting the project should have been finished years ago: “I could have built that thing in one year.”

The former president also described his relationship with Newsom as deteriorating sharply since his first term: “I used to get along with him, but now it’s a hopeless situation. They’ve gone radical left. They’re crazy.”

Newsom, who has grown increasingly confrontational on the national stage, attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week alongside Trump as speculation intensifies over his potential 2028 presidential bid.