The idea of California and Texas seceding from the United States to become independent nations has been met with criticism from a Republican political advisor.
Ron Nehring, who has held significant roles within the Republican party, has voiced his concerns over these initiatives, which he believes are backed by the Russian government.
According to Newsweek, the concept of states like California and Texas breaking away from the U.S. has been gaining momentum in recent years. This surge in interest is partly fueled by Russian efforts to destabilize American politics. As the states with the largest gross domestic products, their departure would undoubtedly cause significant disruption to the U.S. economy. While the likelihood of a state seceding is both highly improbable and unconstitutional, the growing debate could exacerbate national divisions.
Recently, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber approved a campaign to gather signatures petitioning for a vote on whether the state should secede from the U.S. In a Sunday op-ed for Flash Report, a blog on California's political news, Nehring suggested that the Kremlin was likely applauding the latest push to get a secession referendum included on California's 2028 ballot.
Nehring, who served as chair of the California Republican Party from 2007 to 2011 and was a spokesperson for Texas Senator Ted Cruz's 2016 presidential campaign, noted that the idea of California seceding was gaining traction once again. He wrote, "Yes, the most delusional, impractical, and Kremlin-cheered pipe dream of our time has returned, despite its repeated failures and universal ridicule." He added that while proponents insist the movement is homegrown, it has been enthusiastically promoted by Russian government-backed media and trolls aiming to destabilize the U.S.
Nehring continued, "Putin and his propaganda machine aren't aiming for an actual breakup of the U.S. (they know that's a fantasy). Instead, they want to make secession an acceptable topic, a plausible option to enough people that it festers and spreads."
A similar secessionist effort, known as "Texit," is underway in Texas, led by the Texas Nationalist Movement. Researchers at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington, D.C. think tank, have found that these secessionist movements have received support from Russian social media accounts. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's former president and prime minister, has even joked about supporting the movement.
Secessionist leaders have previously denied that Russian propaganda has driven support for their movements or that they are linked to the Russian government. Marcus Evans, who is spearheading the campaign for an independence vote in California, told CBS News, "We believe that now is the best time to CalexitNOW we are better situated to make Calexit happen than in 2016."
If the petition in California garners the necessary 546,651 signatures by July 22, 2025, it will place the question, "Should California leave the United States and become a free and independent country?" on the November 2028 ballot. This would also necessitate California to establish a commission to study the state's viability as an independent nation.
However, even if the ballot measure were to pass, it would not trigger any legal changes to California's status. Instead, it would be seen as a "vote of no confidence in the United States of America." The U.S. Constitution does not permit state secession, a matter settled by a Supreme Court ruling in 1869 following the Civil War.
Login