California Gov. Gavin Newsom didn’t hold back Friday after reports surfaced that Donald Trump’s administration was planning to slash billions in federal funding to the state.
According to CNN, the Trump team is considering cutting off major grants to the University of California and California State University systems — possibly as soon as this week. The move appears to be retaliation for California policies that Trump and his allies oppose, especially around transgender rights and immigration.
Newsom fired back hard.
“Californians pay the bills for the federal government,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back. Maybe it’s time to cut that off, @realDonaldTrump.”
That wasn’t a warning — it was a direct threat. Newsom made it clear: If Trump cuts off money, California might stop sending its massive tax surplus to Washington.
The White House quickly tried to downplay the reports. Spokesman Kush Desai told CNN, “No taxpayer should be forced to fund the demise of our country,” but added, “No final decisions, however, on any potential future action by the Administration have been made, and any discussion suggesting otherwise should be considered pure speculation.”
Desai also went after California’s politics, calling the state “soft-on-crime, pro-child mutilation, and pro-sanctuary.”
This war of words exploded after Trump demanded “large scale” penalties against California. His anger was triggered by a high school track meet where a 16-year-old transgender athlete tied for first in two events. That win happened at the state championships run by the California Interscholastic Federation.
Not long after, the Department of Justice sent a letter accusing California public schools of violating the Constitution by allowing transgender students to play on teams that match their gender identity.
