As we’ve told you previously, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he was killing the high-speed rail project after finally realizing it’s a giant money pit. However, the project wasn’t axed before California accepted billions of dollars in federal grants for the project. Now, President Trump wants it back, and Newsom has said that won’t happen:

Gov. Newsom to Pres. Trump on the $3.5 billion in federal high-speed rail money: 'We're not giving it back' https://t.co/IkaKrT7GbR — Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 14, 2019

Now Newsom is calling Trump’s demand “political retribution”:

The Trump administration wants back $3.5 billion that the US gave for California's high-speed train. Gov. Gavin Newsom calls it 'political retribution.' https://t.co/ydS7wJUpbS — AP West Region (@APWestRegion) February 20, 2019

And here’s the kicker: Newsom has accused Trump of misusing/wasting taxpayer dollars:

The President didn’t get his way, so he’s trying to bypass Congress and use your taxpayer dollars for his pointless border wall. It’s reckless. It’s unprecedented. And California will not stand for it. https://t.co/G3lyjSw0hA — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) February 19, 2019

But billions on a canceled train to nowhere isn’t misuse of taxpayer dollars?

If California is not going to build the high speed train, why should they get to keep the federal funding? — Uri Blago (@UriBlago) February 20, 2019

It's called accountability. — Nanny (@NannyforJLDS) February 20, 2019

Heaven forbid!