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Trump admin must restore $2B in CTA funding for Red Line, other projects, judge rules
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration improperly withheld about $2 billion from the Chicago Transit Authority for its Red Line extension and modernization projects.
CHICAGO - A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration improperly withheld about $2 billion from the Chicago Transit Authority for its Red Line extension and modernization projects.
What we know:
On Tuesday, Judge Thomas Durkin ordered the Federal Transit Authority and U.S. Department of Transportation to release the funding designated to modernize and extend the CTA’s train system.
The CTA said if the funding was not released by the end of this week, the projects would face delays and "deprive the citizens of [Chicago] of much needed improvements to their public transportation system."
Signage at the joint Howard red line and purple line station, the terminus of the Red and Purple Modernization initiative, in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. White House Budget Director Russell Vought announced that the Trump administ …
The Trump administration said last October it would freeze the funding after a review to see if any "federal dollars go towards discriminatory, illegal, and wasteful contracting practices," according to court documents. The federal government also sought information from the CTA, which the agency said it complied with.
"Today, the CTA secured a major victory for the Red Line Extension and the residents of Chicago’s Far South Side. CTA promised the community that it would fight for RLE, and this ruling is a massive step toward restoration of funding for this historic project. RLE will provide transit access and opportunity for generations to come, and we are fully committed to seeing it move forward," said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen, in a statement.
A map displays the red and purple lines on a map in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. White House Budget Director Russell Vought announced that the Trump administration is withholding more than $2 billion for transportation projects in …
What's next:
The CTA said that unless the federal government seeks a reversal of the judge’s ruling, the funding payments should resume by Friday.
The U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
You can read the judge's ruling here.