The US government has forced out Amtrak’s CEO, Stephen Gardner, amid a power struggle between the Biden administration and former President Donald Trump. This move comes after the White House reportedly asked for Gardner’s resignation.
Gardner cited concerns about maintaining support from the Trump administration as he stepped down as head of the US passenger railroad. The decision was made despite $16.4 billion in grant funding provided by the Biden administration to upgrade infrastructure on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.
Amtrak reported a record-high ridership in 2023, with over 32 million customer trips and $2.5 billion in passenger revenue. However, it faced service disruptions due to power issues and an adjusted operating loss of $705 million for the past year.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that Amtrak needs to address safety concerns at Washington’s Union Station. Billionaire Elon Musk also suggested privatizing Amtrak, although his views on this matter are not officially affiliated with the Trump administration.
The White House did not comment on whether they had asked Gardner to step down, but the move appears to be part of a broader shift in policy towards Amtrak and its infrastructure projects.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-passenger-railroad-amtrak-ceo-abruptly-steps-down-2025-03-19