President Donald Trump’s threat last month to cut off federal funding from California is not only unconstitutional, but would spell economic disaster for the whole country, Gov. Jerry Brown said in an interview that aired Sunday.

Related Articles Walters: Environmental exemptions yes, but CEQA reform, no

Editorial: Support Prop. 25, end California’s unfair cash-bail system Brown’s interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” aired after the governor’s first trip since the election to Washington, where he met with Republican Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and other leaders.

“The federal government just can’t arbitrarily for political reasons punish the State of California, that’s number one,” Brown said. “Number two, California is America. We’re 12 percent. …

“We’re the innovation capital, high tech, agriculture, 40- to 50-billion-dollar industry. You don’t want to mess with California, because you’re going to mess with the economy, and that could blow up in your face in a gigantic recession and roll the Republicans right out of this town.”

Reading this on your phone? Stay up to date with our new, free mobile app. Get it from the Apple app store or the Google Play store.

In the same interview, Brown said the state would fight hard to prevent the wall that Trump has proposed building between the U.S. and Mexico — but, he said, it would do so strategically, not through “stupid lawsuits.”