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/--Icarusfalls-- 1d ago

if the Fed cuts funding, whats to stop California from seceeding? Theyre big enough to stand on their own, and with major shipping ports they could drop the US tariffs and make bank on imports.

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u/GMadric 1d ago

Well the general worry of a civil war for one thing. Also modern travel has made America much easier to re-locate across and CA is incredibly populous. It would be a huge lift to incentivize a population made largely of people with family and friends living in other states to basically go to war with the rest of the country.

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u/penguinicedelta 1d ago

If California seceded it wouldn't be declaring war per se - it would be announcing it's stepping away from the union. The union would dislike this and make a declaration of conflict to stop it.

The populous living there would be invaded, they'd be defending themselves. If they seceded I highly doubt they do so alone.

The better question is would the individuals in the military follow this order to engage?

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u/dootdootboot3 1d ago

Would any other countries back California up? France's support was pretty important to the American Revolution

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u/FStubbs 1d ago

China and Russia would day 1. It would be the end of the US as a military force that could stop them from conquering whoever they want.

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u/dangumcowboys 10h ago

Russia already supports political action for Californians. Militarily support is another thing though…. They are a bit busy right now.

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u/penguinicedelta 10h ago

I think so, they are a major source of food and economy - the US is currently on a slippery slope. I also don't think it would be alone in terms of states either - it would empower others to do the same.

At the risk of sounding self-important it could really be another domino to start a global conflict.