President Donald Trump’s administration has announced that it will withhold $40 million in federal funding from California after state officials refused to enforce English language requirements for foreign commercial truck drivers.
On Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the decision comes amid growing concerns about highway safety.
It also follows one of President Trump’s executive orders directing states to comply with federal trucking standards.
“California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement,” Duffy said.
“This is a fundamental safety issue that impacts you and your family on America’s roads.”
Duffy added in a post on X:
“The Golden State thinks it’s OK to ignore @USDOT English language requirements for truckers.
“You can play all the games you want, but not at the expense of American lives.”
🚨💸I’m withholding 40 MILLION DOLLARS in funding for California because they can’t get their priorities straight.
The Golden State thinks it’s OK to ignore @USDOT English language requirements for truckers.
You can play all the games you want, but not at the expense of… pic.twitter.com/0fl8gfURXB
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) October 15, 2025
Fatal Crash Underscores Concerns
The announcement came just weeks after an illegal immigrant truck driver, Harjinder Singh, killed three people in Florida after making an illegal U-turn.
Investigators later revealed Singh had failed an English proficiency test but was still issued a commercial driver’s license in California.
Duffy said the Florida crash highlighted California’s negligence:
“That driver should never have been on the road, and certainly not with a commercial license.”
Singh, an Indian citizen who crossed illegally from Mexico in 2018, is being held without bond on three counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations.
He also faces scrutiny over how he was granted trucking credentials despite failing federal English requirements.
California Pushes Back
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office dismissed the administration’s decision, pointing to statewide accident statistics.
In a statement, Newsom spokesperson Diana Crofts-Pelayo said:
“It seems the Secretary of Transportation needs a lesson about the laws of his own roads.
“The reality is simple: Commercial driver’s license holders in California had a fatal accident rate nearly 40% LOWER than the national average.
“Texas, the only state with more commercial driver’s license holders, has a rate nearly 50% higher than California’s.”
She added: “The facts don’t lie, although for the Trump Administration, they seem optional.”
What Comes Next
Under the Department of Transportation’s order, California will lose $40 million in federal funds until it agrees to comply with English proficiency testing and require inspectors to pull drivers who cannot meet the standard.
Administration officials say the policy is not negotiable.
READ MORE – Gavin Newsom Threatens California Colleges Backing Trump’s Education Agenda
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