Amtrak’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Stephen Gardner, has abruptly resigned from his post amid pressure from the Trump administration. The move is seen as a result of President Donald Trump’s support for maintaining the trust of the administration.
Gardner stepped down to ensure that Amtrak continues to receive the full faith and confidence of the administration. His departure comes just weeks after billionaire Elon Musk floated the idea of privatizing Amtrak, along with other federal services.
The Transportation Department did not provide further details on Gardner’s resignation. However, it was reported that Trump previously sought to cut Amtrak’s budget in his first term. Amtrak declined to comment on whether Gardner was asked to resign, but the company stated it looks forward to working with President Trump and Secretary Duffy as it builds its passenger rail system.
Gardner has been with Amtrak for 16 years, including a stint as CEO since January 2022. The railroad reported an all-time ridership record of 32.8 million customer trips in the 2024 fiscal year, with ticket revenue jumping by 9% from 2023. Despite the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, Amtrak has seen a significant rebound in passenger numbers and revenue.
The news follows Musk’s comments on Amtrak, which he described as “kind of embarrassing.” Trump administration officials have also criticized Amtrak’s Washington D.C. operations, calling for improvements to Union Station and addressing homelessness and crime in the area.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-gardner-ceo-resigns-musk-a57e28dfe402dabe3fad68294c1e6818