Gavin Newsom Mocked Into Next Week As He Holds Ceremony Honoring Invisible High-Speed Train

Sometimes you just have to point out, as the classic story goes, that the emperor has no clothes.

California Governor Gavin Newsom preened for the cameras Tuesday as he celebrated the high-speed train that has so far cost at least $12 billion — and will cost over $120 billion more to complete, lightyears beyond the original estimates — and has been under construction for over a decade.

 There was only one problem with his victory lap: There’s no bullet train, and there’s no track.

Gov. Gavin Newsom was mocked for posing in front of a freight train to tout progress on the troubled High Speed Rail project — still years from carrying passengers despite a staggering price tag of roughly $215 million per mile for a Central Valley route.

“He stands in front of a freight train saying ‘it’s coming’ — no, sir, it’s not,” said Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo, who represents parts of the Central Valley. “Your privilege train is a money pit and a boondoggle.”

Newsom visited Kern County Tuesday to “celebrate” the completion of a railhead facility — a “critical step in the track-laying stage,” the governor said in a statement.

Sure, Gavin, we believe you. You said in 2008 that you would solve the homelessness crisis in San Francisco; how’d that turn out for you?

We've taken another critical step in the track-laying stage for California's @CaHSRA high-speed rail! pic.twitter.com/qVYw7eJQbn

— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) February 4, 2026

Note to the governor: That is not a high-speed bullet train behind you. That is a good old-fashioned diesel freight train, sir.

The critics were quick to jump in — justifiably so. Here’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy:

Gavin’s big reveal… NOTHING‼️

Not a single high-speed track is installed for Gavin Newsom’s TRAIN TO NOWHERE. A monstrous $135 BILLION price tag. And federal taxpayers spent $16 BILLION, for nothing.

Best of luck with your boondoggle @CAgovernor, but federal taxpayers aren’t… https://t.co/LUa3xmJifN

— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 5, 2026

Best of luck with your boondoggle @CAgovernor, but federal taxpayers aren’t on the hook anymore. President Trump and I made sure of that.

To date, Duffy, the Trump administration, and GOP stalwarts in Congress like Rep. Kevin Kiley (CA-03) have yanked over $4 billion in funding from the circus act.

We won. Federal funding for the CA High-Speed Rail catastrophe has officially been terminated. pic.twitter.com/TGeD2VfGxk

— Rep. Kevin Kiley (@RepKiley) July 17, 2025

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MORE: Sean Duffy Brings Down the Hammer on California's Utterly Failed Transportation Boondoggle

Trump Pulls the Plug on Gavin Newsom's High-Speed Rail Boondoggle

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Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott also pointed out that Newsom can grin all he wants, but there’s no there there:

It’s easy and fun to mock the ever-failing governor and point out his many faults. In early polling, however, he is a top contender among the potential Democrat candidates for president in 2028, and my guess is he’s slick enough to make short work of the almost comically inept Kamala Harris, the frontrunner at this point.

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WELL-DESERVED: An Anti-Newsom Super Bowl Ad Is the Prick Needed to Deflate Gavin's Massive Ego

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This is the kind of leadership he would bring. (And no, millions upon millions of patriotic Californians did not vote for this, and we do not deserve it. Just remember, approximately 13 months ago, the wax figure that is known as Joe Biden was our commander in chief. Did you vote for that?)

Here's a "high-speed train" operating in California under the current reality:

Newsom is far, far more dangerous than Bumblin’ Joe. Billions missing, societal failure — that’s his record, and he wants to bring it to you. He deserves all the mocking he’s getting, and so much more.