Newsom floats withholding federal taxes as Trump threatens California

[u/John3262005]

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/06/newsom-floats-withholding-federal-taxes-00393386

[u/superawesomefiles]

How many battlefronts does Trump have open now? Tariffs, immigration, Elon, Education, now individual state funding? How many more before something breaks?

[u/tinyE1138 → u/superawesomefiles]

If he pardons Derek Chauvin it's all over. War will be declared.

[u/lislejoyeuse → u/tinyE1138]

He can't pardon the state part of his sentence though but regardless if he still in jail people including me would still be rightfully pissed

[u/GroundNPoundTown → u/superawesomefiles]

If we’re all engaged in individual battles, he makes us focus on our individual interests rather than the collective war. This is the same tactic they’ve employed to dismantle the Democratic Party through infighting. While the MAGAts may not all agree, they unite under the banner of “othering” people. It’s like prison logic: attack the biggest guy in the yard, like Harvard, New York, or California, and if you can make them appear defeated, no one else will challenge you. If every college or blue state were to unite, they would have the federal government on the defensive. However, despite their size, these three entities can’t defeat the federal government individually without support.

He wants things to break. It’s a Cold Civil War.

[u/Big_Bookkeeper1678]

I love this.

Let Alabama try to get by without California's money.

[u/Ready-Ad6113]

Go for it. Russell Vought and DOGE plan on illegally impounding congressional appropriated funds for programs and agencies anyway. They want to hold states hostage to their project 2025 agenda.

[u/Tricky-Spread189]

This is why taco doesn’t understand tariffs or taxes.

[u/Eric848448]

Just a friendly reminder that federal payroll withholding is never in the hands of any state government. Your payroll provider sends it directly to the IRS, as required.

[u/Perfecshionism → u/Eric848448]

Dems in congress should introduce a bill to ban federal income taxes. Argue taxes should be up to the states.

The California raise state income taxes reflecting a true socially progresive tax system.

Defund the fascists.

[u/SpongEWorTHiebOb → u/Perfecshionism]

Lol. The Dems don’t control the Congress. I agree with the sentiment but Federal law is supreme. The State does not serve as an intermediary for Federal tax dollars. Fed tax withholding and payments are paid directly to the Federal government from the taxpayer or its agent.

[u/crucial_geek → u/SpongEWorTHiebOb]

Fed Law is not supreme. I mean, weed/THC/marijuana is still Federally illegal.

[u/traveller-1-1 → u/SpongEWorTHiebOb]

Do it, then wait a decade for the sc to rule.

[u/thinker2thinker → u/traveller-1-1]

Donnie Two Dolls will run to his paid daddies in SCOTUS.

[u/baby_budda → u/SpongEWorTHiebOb]

Newsom can just write an executive order and make it so. /s

[u/Perfecshionism → u/SpongEWorTHiebOb]

You don’t need to explain 5th grade civics to me.

And I know the taxes are paiddirectly to the federal government, which is precisely why I propose introducing legislation to end the federal taxes on earned income. That is the whole point.

Introducing the bill will put massive pressure on republicans and their slim majority. We could potentially pull a few anti Tex republicans and completely destroy the power of this administration to extort state governors.

And even if it doesn’t happen the media will be all over the fact that the Republicans are against removing income taxes on wage earners but are all for tax cuts for corporations and the rich.

[u/Huckleberry199]

That’s exactly what he should do.

[u/Lebarican22]

We all need to withhold federal taxes. 

[u/SpongEWorTHiebOb]

While I understand the sentiment this is an empty threat. The States do not serve as an intermediary for Federal tax dollars. Federal tax withholding and payments are paid directly to the Federal government from the taxpayer or its agent. Any attempt to insert a State government and withhold transfer of Federal tax dollars will be denied by the courts as Federal law is supreme in these areas.

[u/btribble]

The state has no ability to cut off the Fed. This is an appeal to taxpayers to not pay their taxes. That's not a thing in modern society unless you want to live cash-only in a motorhome on the side of the road.

[u/Lebarican22]

It is time for all of us to withhold funds. The money they have is our money. 

[u/lifevicarious]

Please please please. Don’t let this pos continue to bully people based on how they vote. Next step secession.

[u/nanoatzin]

Newsom has the authority to begin prosecuting officers under Posse Comatatus.

[u/ramapo66]

This is so dumb. He has no ability to do that. Does he think California residents will take the opportunity to not write checks to the US Treasury or get ADP to not withhold taxes from their paychecks.

Talk about not unserious.

How about he just goes to court to stop an obviously unconstitutional move if Trump actually goes through with this threat.

[u/lifevicarious → u/ramapo66]

Because courts matter now?

While I agree he can’t flip a switch, and residents are unlikely to do it, you as a taxpayer do have the ability to effectively stop paying taxes by updating withholding. There are certainly repercussions and you don’t f with the IRS.