By David Shepardson and Steve Gorman WASHINGTON (Reuters) -California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday vowed to fight the "illegal" move by President Donald Trump's administration to cancel some $4 billion in federal grants for the state's ambitious but much-delayed high-speed rail project.

The project, which aims to link Los Angeles and San Francisco, has been beset by rising costs and delays. Gov. Gavin Newsom called the pulling of funds “illegal.”

Newsom also accused the president of trying to preserve Republican power in Washington by pressuring Texas to redraw congressional districts to elect GOP representatives.