If President Trump wanted to set up Gov. Gavin Newsom for a strong 2028 run against fellow Democrats and then Trump’s chosen Republican successor, he could scarcely have done better than he has in June.
First came the president’s threat to withhold virtually all federal grant money from California, affecting everything from medical research to sewer building and more. That spurred Newsom to one of his most creative and energetic responses in months, even though his idea of withholding California’s federal taxes won’t work. At least it let the governor say no one can attack California without learning how important it is to the rest of America.
Days later, Trump made the possibly unconstitutional move of calling out the California National Guard over Newsom’s objection, supposedly to quell rioting over immigration and deportation raids in Los Angeles. Then he sent 700 U.S. Marines into the city, saying they would protect federal personnel and facilities from rioters.
All along, local police said they had matters well in hand. Trump insists he saved the city from “incinerating,” though. Newsom followed with a national speech denouncing authoritarian behavior and government overreach.
“This brazen abuse of power … inflamed a combustible situation, putting at risk our people, our officers and the National Guard,” Newsom said.
Only after that did U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem inadvertently reveal the purely political thought behind Trump’s moves: After her agents tackled and handcuffed California’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla when he tried to question her, she got off perhaps the key statement in a week of dramatic talk: “We are staying here to liberate the city from the socialist and burdensome government that this governor and this mayor have placed on this country and this city.”
That means a president who pardoned hundreds of convicted Jan. 6, 2021, insurrectionists now wants to dictate who Californians elect to lead them. This is pure Trumpian overreach. It validated what Newsom said days earlier in his nationally broadcast speech: “This is about all of us,” he warned. “California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Democracy is under assault before our eyes.”
If Newsom sought a campaign theme, Trump provided it. The governor can now say he stands for America remaining a free country with no dictator. That speech and other resistance was the reason many protesters at mid-June “No Kings” rallies around California carried signs saying, “Resist Trump: Thank you, Gov. Newsom.”
Trump has never wavered in his enmity for California. Now Newsom’s gloves are off too, though, and he is active in lawsuits galore against Trump and his tactics. That’s one reason Trump said “I would do it if I were Tom,” referring to border czar Tom Homan arresting Newsom after Homan said he wouldn’t rule out arresting Democratic officials who interfered with him.
Newsom dared Homan to do so, saying, “Come and get me, tough guy.”
Trump also observed that Newsom loves the publicity all this gives him. That appears accurate. How did Newsom win his newfound popularity as an anti-Trump champion? He first projected strength by refusing to take Trump’s bait and get himself arrested in the act of interfering with immigration officers.
“Don’t give him a spectacle,” Newsom urged. “Never use violence.”
Just as unique was his response to Trump’s unprecedented threat to cut off federal funds for California. Newsom essentially said “If you take our money, we may cut off yours.”
He could say that because California is by far the biggest taxpaying and “donor” state in the Union. This state in 2022, the last year for which full figures are available, paid more than $692 billion in federal taxes, $83.1 billion more than it got back in federal funds. That’s nearly three times the “donation” of the next biggest “donor” state.
What if California withheld its billions, as Newsom threatened, and raised the national debt almost $1 trillion? It won’t happen. This would be almost impossible to pull off because typical federal tax payments go straight to the Internal Revenue Service, with no state involvement.
Keeping those payments from the IRS would need cooperation from millions of individual taxpayers, thousands of tax preparers and many, many corporate officials. That would require a huge campaign, which will not occur. Still, reminding Trump how important California really is can’t be all bad.
Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com, and read more of his columns online at californiafocus.net.