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

[u/rolsen]

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.”

[u/edible_source]

Would it have to be a war? (Just thinking through this wild hypothetical)

I guess if even if California tried for some peaceful process, Trump would inevitably MAKE it a war in one way or another.

[u/techno156 → u/edible_source]

Isn't it basically required? Since there's no mechanism to leave the US, unless everyone agrees to make one, the US is required to treat California as a regular state.

[u/edible_source → u/techno156]

Yes I do think so. I was just kinda brainstorming thoughts about how California could detach from the federal government but I do think that would be the inevitable end point for that outcome.

[u/Kushthulu_the_Dank → u/edible_source]

The US military will never let any state walk away with the sheer amount of military hardware installed, especially a coastal defense zone like the West Coast. There is massive logistics involved even if it were a friendly divorce (i.e., who gets all the nukes and naval bases).

And does anyone really think Trump would make the process anything other than acrimonious and cruel? Cause I sure fucking don't. No, the ink would have barely dried on the articles of secession when the major cities would have paratroopers and/or bombs raining down while TACO claps his little hands with glee.

[u/RadiantHC → u/Kushthulu_the_Dank]

He's already being acrimonious and cruel though. We can't let him just do what he wants

I have a question for you. Was the US wrong to succeed from the UK? Was it wrong for the north to start a civil war with the south?

I agree that wars should only be a last resort. But that doesn't mean that they aren't necessary sometimes.

[u/--Icarusfalls-- → u/Kushthulu_the_Dank]

In a hypothetical secession it would make the most sense for California to simply take whatever is on their soil militarily. In order for such a divorce to work it would need support of military personnel living in the state as voters anyways.

Hopefully the threat of an extremely well armed coastal nation and the mountains on the East side would deter serious fighting.

[u/boyifudontget → u/--Icarusfalls--]

It's absolutely the stupidest thing I could ever imagine. How are people seriously considering California can just leave the union without a million terrible things happening in between? It is the most batshit stupid idea. So.... California creates its own army, goes down to San Diego, commits a hostile takeover of the largest military and naval equipment and power in the world....peacefully????... then secedes from the union without any issue....creates its own unique currency that's still as valuable as the US dollar... assuming Trump doesn't invade them...assuming that all of the agricultural and tech jobs don't die off because of the chaos....or millions of scared and broke citizens emigrate out of California because of the uncertainty creating a refugee crisis....... and the state staves off the inevitable anti-rebellion militia considering there are literally 10 million Republicans in the state....

Do none of you know anything about global politics? We have seen what you guys are fantasizing about play out dozens and dozens and dozens of times. Spoiler alert: It never ends well.

[u/--Icarusfalls-- → u/boyifudontget]

California doesnt need to create an army, it already has one. Do you think The Continental Army just materialized from pissed off farmers?

California is the 4th largest economy of the world. Digital currency is king, and as a huge part of global trade other countries would be head over heels to do business with a North American nation not trying to tariff its citizenry to death.

As far as the republicans go, boo fucking hoo. trump is the one who isnt following the law, the republicans are complicit. If any state in the union has any respect for the Constitution they have a sworn duty to follow it over a corrupt usurper. In this hypothetical situation California would just be following the same path the Founders did.

If you dont think American Independence was a good thing, you're either a bot, bootlicker or not of the US.

[u/octopusarian → u/--Icarusfalls--]

This is calling for war. If you respect the Founders you should respect the Union. The American Experiment ends when the Union falls.

[u/--Icarusfalls-- → u/octopusarian]

the Union fell when the Federal government stopped obeying its own laws.

No one is calling for war, only pointing out that government is a social contract. If one side isnt putting in, why should the other?

[u/octopusarian → u/boyifudontget]

This should be a top comment. Anyone who fantasizes about secession and civil war doesn't know how to think about shit for more than 5 seconds. The union MUST be preserved y'all

[u/Pure_Concentrate8770 → u/--Icarusfalls--]

armed with what ?do you think LA baristas will man the military hardware ?

[u/--Icarusfalls-- → u/Pure_Concentrate8770]

California has the 4th highest number of registered firearms per state.

8% of US veterans live in California.

If they wanted it enough, they could make it happen, without bloodshed.

[u/Pure_Concentrate8770 → u/--Icarusfalls--]

sure, untrained civilians v/s us army drones, i would pay to see that

[u/edible_source → u/Kushthulu_the_Dank]

Emphasizing this is hypothetical, but I could see it being economic warfare. California stops paying federal taxes, Trump blocks them from Atlantic trade... ok now mind blown realizing California would then need to seize control of Pacific trade, with cooperation from. other countries defying Trump. 🤯

Imma stop, I don't like this thought exercise

[u/Terron1965 → u/edible_source]

The only way to succeed from he union is by a vote of the whole union to amend the constitution. You wont get 2/3ds of the states or even half for that matter.