07-06-2025
Newsom pushes back against potential federal cuts to California public universities
The Brief
Sources told CNN that the Trump administration is targeting California universities over alleged antisemitism on campus.
Newsom is threatening to withhold federal tax dollars if the cuts go through.
PALO ALTO, Calif. - California Gov. Gavin Newsom is pushing back amid reports that the Trump administration is considering cutting federal funding for the University of California and California State University systems.
A White House spokesperson told CNN no final decision has been made. Still, Newsom is threatening to withhold federal tax dollars if the cuts go through.
H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for the governor, responded to the CNN report on Friday.
"Let's have a serious discussion about how much California contributes to the national economy," said Palmer.
Newsom also took to X, posting, "Californians pay the bills for the federal government. We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back. Maybe it's time to cut that off."
In Palo Alto, community members responded to the potential federal cuts to universities during a rally in defense of science research and academic funding.
"We want to preserve our democracy, our science, and our medicine," said Carol Peyser, an organizer of the "Stand Up for Science and Sanity" demonstration.
Big picture view
Next year's federal budget proposal includes cuts of 40% to the National Institutes of Health and 55% to the National Science Foundation.
Peyser and others expressed concern that additional cuts could reverse decades of progress in scientific research and public health.
"The attacks on the universities are really severe and not what we voted for. People did not vote for this," Peyser said. "It's absurd, and it's not just going to hurt California. We develop technology that goes all over the country and supports our economy."
The Source
Original KTVU reporting
