Former California Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger cautioned current Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom on his threat to withhold tax payments to the federal government as part of his ongoing feud with President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
Speaking to Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday evening, Schwarzenegger was asked how he would handle the back-and-forth financial threats Newsom and Trump continue to throw at each other. “We are a state that pays more to the federal government than we get in return from the federal government. Is it realistic, this idea that Gov. Newsom has floated, that we would just stop paying them the money that we pay them?” Kimmel asked.
“Well, it sounds always easy, isn’t it?” Schwarzenegger responded. “It doesn’t happen because every individual in California pays taxes, pays the state tax, local tax, and pays federal tax. So how are you going to stop them from doing that? Then the IRS is coming after you.”
Last week Newsom posted, “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, @realDonaldTrump.” Newsom was reacting to the Trump administration preparing to cancel portions of federal funding for California over the state’s policy’s regarding illegal immigration, energy, and boys competing in girls’ sports.
Schwarzenegger, who last fall suggested both major political parties could use some “new blood” urged Trump and Newsom to cease with the social media threats and talk out their differences.
“Look, I just want everyone to know, this is all dialogue. This is rhetoric. The left going after the right, the right going after the left,” the former governor said. “I mean, the bottom line is, they should get together, rather than always pointing the finger at each other. They should really get together and solve this problem because that’s what the American people want. They want to have this problem solved,” he said.
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