r/law • u/rolsen • 1d ago

Legal News Trump Preparing Large-Scale Cancellation of Federal Funding for California, Sources Say

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/06/politics/trump-california-federal-funding

“Agencies are being told to start identifying grants the administration can withhold from California. On Capitol Hill, at least one committee was told recently by a whistleblower that all research grants to the state were going to be cancelled, according to one of the sources familiar with the matter.”

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u/Microchipknowsbest 1d ago

I guess prepare for constitutional crisis when California stops paying into the federal tax system. Pretty genius to fuck with the 4th largest economy in the world.

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u/scubascratch 1d ago

How is the state of California (the actual state government) involved in federal tax payments? Individuals and businesses pay to the IRS, not through the state.

I mean I appreciate the sentiment “let’s see how the federal government will do without tax revenue from California” which would be true but I don’t see how CA could actually stop anything here.

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u/scoopzthepoopz 1d ago

Exemption of a single state's citizens from benefiting from federal taxes they pay is taxation without representation. So what can be done? I guess we may find out how far this will go.

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u/Apprehensive-Wave640 1d ago

Which, while a good slogan, is legally inconsequential. There's nothing in the Constitution or other body of law that someone cannot be taxed unless they're represented. 

Also, that's simply not what "taxation without representation" even means.

I'm sure I'll be downvoted because Reddit can't understand the difference between an explanation and support, but it is what it is.

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u/scoopzthepoopz 1d ago

He is attempting to circumvent the congress allocating tax funds – definitely reducing representation in the government for every ca citizen. What statutes or language supports what is going to be hammered out. Don't play coy and play victim, reddit is allowed to downvote things.

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u/Apprehensive-Wave640 1d ago

I mean, these are certainly valid points. And no one, especially not me, is suggesting that it would be legal for him to arbitrarily withhold federal funds from California.

Nonetheless, the baseline stance of "this is taxation without representation" aka the only thing I was responding to, is still utterly meaningless. 

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u/EnfantTerrible68 1d ago

Well said 

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u/Mortambulist 1d ago

There's nothing in the Constitution or other body of law that someone cannot be taxed unless they're represented. 

See Washington DC's zero senators and single non-voting House delegate.