The president’s government Donald Trump and the state of California They are in an open confrontation, where the president’s immigration policy, which is fiercely rejected in cities such as Los Angeles, is only one of the issues that divide them. The situation has reached such an extent that the Republican has threatened with possible federal fund cuts that are assigned to that state, the richest in the country. And it is precisely at this point that many wonder what California would be like if it is separated from the United States and becomes an independent country, where it would be located between the maximum powers of the planet. Is there a legal path for that to become?
Last week, CNN reported that the government of Trump He has asked the agencies to identify the subsidies that could retain California. The news chain pointed out that for a long time the president has turned the State, governed by the Democrat Gavin Newsomin an objective.
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:quality(75)/d2q2xcgw42pqkv.cloudfront.net/config/src/elcomercio/cortadores/img/vuelta_al_mundo.png "How powerful and rich would California as a country if it separates from the United States? 1")
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For example, last month threatened to retain federal funds to California for the participation of a transgender athlete in a sporting event. Before, Trump said he will not release federal funds to combat fires If California does not meet his demands in water managementand He called Newsom incompetent.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, and the first lady, Melania Trump, are received by the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport on January 24, 2025. (Photo of Mandel Ngan / AFP).
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The president is conditioning the allocation of funds to an alignment to his policies, something that Newsom rejects flat.
Even the governor Newsom made California the first state to file a lawsuit against tariffs imposed by the president.
The governor defends state sovereignty, civil rights, the environment and is appealing to legal resources to counteract Trump.
In addition, before the threats of federal fund cuts, Newsom He has remarked that California is the state that brings the country more money in taxes.
Indeed. For example, in 2022 California paid 692,000 million dollars in federal taxes, which represents a 14% of the total collection of the federal government, US $ 4.9 billion, according to data from the Congress Budget Office.
And how much did that year receive from the Federation? According to the Budget and Policy Center of Californiathe state He received 609,000 million In federal funds.
“We pay more than US $ 80,000 million in taxes than we recover. Maybe it’s time to cut that,” Newsom wrote in X before Trump’s threats.
The fourth economy of the world
Apple Park aerial view in California. (Creative Commons).
If California were a country, it would be the fourth economy of the worldbehind the United States, China, and Germany. Since 2017 the State is among the top five.
In April of this year, the governor himself celebrated having surpassed Japan.
“California not only remains at the rhythm of the world, but marks the rhythm”said Newsom In a statement.
In 2024, he California Nominal GDP (The total value of all final goods and services produced in a given period, measured at current prices of the same period) was 4.1 billion dollars. To have an idea of what it represents, we must mention that The Nominal GDP of Peru is 277,000 million dollars.
That same year, California It reached a growth rate of 6%, surpassing the United States (5.3%), China (2.6%) and Germany (2.9%), according to the data cited by the governor.
California, with almost 40 million inhabitants, He pointed out that in terms of per capita it is the second largest economy in the world.
Where does California wealth fall? A key point is its technological power, led by Silicon Valleywhich is the global capital of technology, an area where global companies such as Apple, Google, Meta, Tesla, Nvidia, etc. are located.
These companies not only generate huge income, but also mark the course of world innovation, attracting talent and investments from the entire planet.
The State is an epicenter in advances related to the artificial intelligence, Biotechnology and clean energy.
Also, with Hollywood It has the dominance of entertainment and world cinema, which generates billions of dollars in revenue.
California also It is the largest agricultural producer in the United Stateskey in fruits, vegetables, almonds and wine, which also exports to the world.
The servicesincluding the financialtrade and transport, represent a large part of the state economy.
California It houses most of the main ports on the west coast of the USA.
It is the United States manufacturing production center, with more than 36,000 companies that employ more than 1.1 million workers.
In California they are prestigious universities such as Stanford, Caltech, UC Berkeley and UCLAglobal leaders in science, medicine and technology.
As for military power, California does not have its own armed forcesbut it houses important American military bases.
Aerial view of the center of San Francisco, California, on May 16, 2024. (Photo: Josh Edelson / AFP).
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California also has problems. Despite its wealth, record one of the highest poverty rates adjusted to the cost of living in the US.
According to figures from 2023, poverty in California It was in 18.9%, about 7.3 million people.
The high price of housing, medical care and other basic services makes many people in a precarious situation.
More than 180,000 people live in the street in Californiaaccording to data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development of the United States. That figure represents about 30% of the national total.
A homeless man sits with his belongings in Los Angeles, California, on February 18, 2025. (Photo of Frederic J. Brown / AFP).
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In cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland it is easy to see homeless people living in tents.
California He also suffers from droughts recurring that affect both agricultural and urban areas.
In addition, every year large forest fires They threaten communities, cause displacements and destroy thousands of hectares.
In many regions, highways are congested, nearby trains are limited and public transport is inefficient out of urban areas of California.
What the Constitution and the possible referendum say
The Flag of the State of California and the United States wave in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mark Ralston / AFP).
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Can California separate from the United States and become a country? The Constitution From the United States it does not provide a legal mechanism for a State to separate and obtain its own sovereignty.
However, In California there is a movement that promotes secession of the State, it is called CALEXIT.
In January of this year, the Secretary of State for CaliforniaShirley Weber, announced that a voting proposal had been accepted to make California an “independent state” to be subjected to referendum in the November 2028 elections.
However, before the organizers must comply with Gather 546.651 valid signatures of registered voters. They have a term until July 22, 2025. Once the authenticity of the signatures have been verified, the inclusion of the independence question on the electoral ballot.
In order for the decision to be valid, the participation of at least 50% of the registered voters is required. In addition, 55% or more must vote in favor of independence so that it is approved. However, in the current circumstances that result would only be symbolic.
So that California manages to become independentfirst amendment of the Constitution must be approved, which at the same time requires two thirds of votes in Congress and then being ratified by 38 of the 50 states.
