Stefania Cox is an NTD News anchor and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Stefania anchors "NTD Newsroom," and co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Stefania Cox

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

NTD Plus

News

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

Smart Spending: How to Save on Summer Travel

UAE Suffered More Iranian Missiles Than Israel, Paving Way for Iron Dome: Analyst

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Washington Event to Rededicate US as ‘One Nation Under God’

Best-Selling Author Concerned Christians May Be Next in China’s State-Sanctioned Organ Trade

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's National Security Correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

Pentagon Paves the Way to Buy 10,000 Containerized Missiles

US Reports No Hantavirus Cases From Cruise Outbreak

Juliette Fairley is a freelance reporter for NTD and The Epoch Times and a graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Born in Chateauroux, France, and raised outside of Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, Juliette is a well-adjusted military brat. She has written for many publications across the country. Send Juliette story ideas at JulietteFairley@gmail.com

Juliette Fairley

Daniel Monaghan is a reporter for NTD News covering culture, social issues, and education. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government.

Daniel Monaghan

US News

Politics

Executive Branch

Rubio: China is ‘Top Geopolitical Challenge’

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

Jury Awards $49.5 Million to Family of Woman Killed in 2019 Boeing Max Crash

Andrew Moran has been writing about business, economics, and finance for more than a decade. He is the author of "The War on Cash."

Andrew Moran

China News

Trump Departs China After 2-Day Talks With Xi

Haika Mrema

Medical Plane Crash in New Mexico Mountains Kills 4, Sparks Wildfire

Accommodating, Enabling China’s Regime a Failed Strategy: China Expert

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 14)

Kevin Hogan is an NTD News data reporter and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Kevin covers breaking news, as well as U.S. and global current events. He conveys the news through data visualizations and investigates pressing issues.

Kevin Hogan

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 12)

President Trump Leaves for China Today; Calif. Mayor to Plead Guilty to Acting as CCP Agent | NTD Good Morning (May 12)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 7)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 6)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 5)

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

Health News

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

Naveen Athrappully is a news reporter covering business and world events at The Epoch Times.


Naveen Athrappully

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of funding for California’s High-Speed Rail project, citing delays and affordability issues, according to a late July 16 Truth Social post.

“To the Law abiding, Tax paying, Hardworking Citizens of the United States of America, I am thrilled to announce that I have officially freed you from funding California’s disastrously overpriced, ‘HIGH SPEED TRAIN TO NOWHERE,’” Trump said.

The project has already <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-pulls-plug-4b-california-high-speed">cost</a> taxpayers $15 billion, without yet seeing any returns. “The Railroad we were promised still does not exist, and never will. This project was Severely Overpriced, Overregulated, and NEVER DELIVERED,” Trump said.

Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114865506222851432">commended</a> Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for pulling the plug on the “ill-conceived and unnecessary” project.

The Federal Railroad Administration terminated approximately $4 billion in unspent federal funding for the rail project, Duffy said in an official project cancellation <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-pulls-plug-4b-california-high-speed">statement</a>.

Duffy said that after spending around $15 billion over a period of 16 years, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) failed to lay even a single high-speed track. According to the department, the projected total cost of the project has come to around $135 billion.

“Federal dollars are not a blank check—they come with a promise to deliver results. After over a decade of failures, CHSRA’s mismanagement and incompetence has proven it cannot build its train to nowhere on time or on budget,” Duffy said.

The planned high-speed rail <a href="https://hsr.ca.gov/high-speed-rail-in-california/project-sections/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">covers</a> 800 miles and connects San Francisco to Los Angeles-Anaheim, with train speeds of up to 200 miles per hour.

The transportation department under President <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/news/biden-harris-administration-announces-nearly-4-billion-support-14-major-transit" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Joe Biden</a> awarded the project about $4 billion. The San Francisco-to-Los Angeles project was initially supposed to be completed for <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-transportation-secretary-duffy-announces-review-california-high-speed-rail-project" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">$33 billion</a> by 2020.
<h2>Newsom’s Response</h2>
Gov. Gavin Newsom responded to the announcement, alleging that the Trump administration’s termination was illegal. He said the state will fight back against the decision.

“Trump wants to hand China the future and abandon the Central Valley,” Newsom said in an official <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/07/16/governor-newsom-responds-to-trumps-latest-gift-to-china-defunding-americas-only-high-speed-rail/">statement</a>. “We won’t let him. With projects like the Texas high-speed rail failing to take off, we are miles ahead of others. We’re now in the track-laying phase and building America’s only high-speed rail.

“California is putting all options on the table to fight this illegal action.”

He said the Trump administration’s announcement comes as the project “is actively building across 171 miles, has built more than 50 major railway structures—including bridges, overpasses, and viaducts—and completed over 60 miles of guideway.”

CHSRA CEO Ian Choudri echoed Newsom’s sentiment.

“Canceling these grants without cause isn’t just wrong—it’s illegal,” Choudri said.

Choudri said that CHSRA has, thus far, met every obligation, which has been confirmed by federal reviews, as recently as February 2025, adding that over 15,000 jobs were created as part of the project.

“This is no time for Washington to walk away on America’s transportation future,” he added.

Newsom’s statement concluded by saying that the high-speed rail has marked significant progress, like completing environmental reviews spanning 463 miles from Los Angeles to the Bay Area, and the electrification of Caltrain, with passenger service expected sometime between 2030 and 2033.
<h2>Compliance Review</h2>
According to the transportation department, the decision to cancel California’s high-speed rail project follows the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) exhaustive compliance <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-releases-report-exposing-no-viable-path">review</a>.

The review was conducted after CHSRA submitted its report in February. In the <a href="https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Schedule-Engagement-Report-FINAL-A11Y.pdf">report</a>, CHSRA Inspector General Benjamin M. Belnap admitted that certain segments of the project could not meet the estimated timeframe, and will lead to delays beyond 2033.

Based on this assessment, the FRA conducted its review and found that CHSRA could not meet its binding obligations under the agreements it made to receive federal funding.

In addition, the FRA found that CHSRA has executed numerous change orders and will likely have many more change orders in the near future. It added that the rail authority has at least a $7 billion funding gap to complete the estimated order schedule (EOS) and lacks time and money to electrify the EOS by the deadline. All in all, it said, CHSRA does not have a viable path to complete the project by 2033 and lacks the capacity to deliver the project.

Post review, the FRA sent a formal termination notice to the CHSRA on June 4, and since their response was found to be unsatisfactory, the FRA said it decided to terminate the agreements.

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-admin-cancels-funding-for-californias-high-speed-rail-project-5888627">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Paywall Related

Videos

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Free for Subscribers

Management

03_Featured

California

Donald Trump

State News

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.

Trump Admin Cancels Funding for California’s High-Speed Rail Project

Eva Fu is a New York-based writer for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. politics, U.S.-China relations, religious freedom, and human rights. Contact Eva at eva.fu@epochtimes.com

Eva Fu

State Department Calls on CCP to End Campaign to Eradicate Falun Gong

How Ultraprocessed Foods Impact Children–and What to Eat Instead

Superman Sparks New Interest in Dog Adoption

Mary Man is a writer for NTD. She has traveled around the world covering China, international news, and arts and culture.

Mary Man

Malcolm Hudson is an international correspondent for NTD News based in London.