California Governor Gavin Newsom has declined to bow down and his office, in a post, said “Donald Trump has weaponized the DOJ. (Photo: X/ @GavinNewsom)California Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday called the $1 billion settlement sought by the US President Donald Trump’s administration from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) a “political extortion” to which the state of California “won’t bow”, after the federal government froze hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to the university.The UCLA has said that it is reviewing the offer of $1 billion made by the Trump administration after the federal government froze its funding over pro-Palestinian protests on the campus. This comes after the education department recently settled with Columbia and Brown universities.In a letter to staff and students last week, the UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk said that the Trump administration has frozen $584 million which “is suspended and at risk,” warning of serious consequences for the university’s research work. Since then, the UCLA officials returned to the table to negotiate with the administration in order to restore funding.Donald Trump has weaponized the DOJ to kneecap America’s #1 public university system — freezing medical & science funding until @UCLA pays his $1 billion ransom.California won’t bow to Trump’s disgusting political extortion. pic.twitter.com/AXMiqlyJeE— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 9, 2025However, California Governor Gavin Newsom has declined to bow down and his office, in a post, said “Donald Trump has weaponized the DOJ (Department of Justice) to kneecap America’s #1 public university system — freezing medical & science funding until @UCLA pays his $1 billion ransom.”Also Read | UCLA says Trump administration froze $584 million of its federal funding“California won’t bow to Trump’s disgusting political extortion. This isn’t about protecting Jewish students – it’s a billion-dollar political shakedown from the pay-to-play president,” the post by Newsom’s office added.The government has alleged that universities, including the UCLA, allowed antisemitism during the pro-Palestinian protests on their campus and allegedly violated the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students.However, protesters, including some Jewish groups, have said that the government has misunderstood or equated wrongly their criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories with antisemitism.Earlier, the UCLA administration agreed to pay $6 million to settle a lawsuit by some students and a professor who alleged antisemitism.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:donald trumpUCLA