Trump official drops explosive threat against California: 'We have the option'
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) listens to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speak during a press conference, weeks into the continuing U.S. government shutdown on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 23, 2025. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made good on a previous threat against California Sunday after confirming that his agency was “about to pull $160 million” in funding for the state in response to a deadly crash caused by a migrant truck driver, while also repeating another threat that could strip the state of its ability to issue commercial driver’s licenses entirely.

“I'm about to pull $160 million from California, and as we pull more money, we also have the option of pulling California's ability to issue commercial driver's licenses,” Duffy said, appearing on Fox News Sunday. “Gavin Newsom cares more about illegals getting commercial driver's licenses than he does his citizens of his own state and the safety of Americans.”

Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old semitruck driver and undocumented immigrant, was arrested this week after being alleged to have caused the deadly crash that killed three and injured four in southern California. The incident sparked condemnation from the Trump administration amid its ongoing mass deportation efforts, especially from Duffy, who had already announced his agency would withhold $40 million from California earlier this month.

Duffy previously threatened to withhold an additional $160 million, but confirmed that he would follow through on the threat on Sunday, while also floating the idea of stripping California of its ability to issue any commercial driver’s licenses. He also railed into Newsom over the deadly crash, calling his conduct as California’s governor “shameful.”

“It's shameful, he's been lying about what he's been doing, and again, we're going to fight tooth and nail under President Trump's administration to make sure that we hold states like California accountable,” Duffy said.

A report from the Department of Transportation released Friday explicitly blamed Newsom for the deadly crash, and also included a deadline for California to comply with an audit of all of its commercial driver’s license issuance practices and procedures.
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