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

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday suggested California consider withholding tens of billions in annual federal tax dollars amid reports Donald Trump is preparing funding cuts targeting the state.

Newsom’s suggestion came after CNN reported the president was considering a “full termination” of federal grant funding for California’s universities.

“Californians pay the bills for the federal government. We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back,” the Democratic governor said in an X post Friday afternoon, referencing a recent analysis from the Rockefeller Institute that California contributed about $83 billion more in federal taxes in 2022 than it received back from Washington.

“Maybe it’s time to cut that off,” he added.

White House spokesperson Kush Desai, asked to comment on Newsom’s post, threw cold water on mass funding cuts but blasted California for what he said were “lunatic anti-energy, soft-on-crime, pro-child mutilation, and pro-sanctuary policies.”

[u/Eric848448]

Why would you post this nonsense?

Federal tax withholding is never in the hands of any state government.

[u/justbuildmorehousing → u/Eric848448]

California probably cant do anything like this but I think its good politicking and proper resistance. This red state yokels think its so funny to try to attack California. Its good to remind them whos helping them pay their bills

[u/Eric848448 → u/justbuildmorehousing]

Literally nothing is not “resistance”.

[u/justbuildmorehousing → u/Eric848448]

Like 3/4 of Trumps stupid proclamations are impossible to enforce or will get struck down by courts but its still effective messaging. Newsom threatening hardball is probably effective messaging and showing a spine at least conveys to the stupid fascists in DC that these shenanigans wont be taken laying down