Take that, red states! California has surpassed Japan to become the fourth-largest economy in the world, with an estimated Gross Domestic Product of more than $4 trillion.
If for whatever reason you happen to follow California Governor Gavin Newsom on Twitter, you’ll notice that his Twitter feed today is just him reposting different news articles written about the exact same topic, over and over and over. But sure, let the Gav celebrate. Because all of those articles he’s reposting are about Wednesday's news that California has surpassed the nation of Japan in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and that California is now the fourth-largest economy in the world.
California had previously passed the United Kingdom to become the fifth-largest economy in the world back in 2018.
NEW: California is now the fourth largest economy in the WORLD. pic.twitter.com/ZBKZxKHhlM
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 24, 2025
“California isn’t just keeping pace with the world — we’re setting the pace,” Newsom bragged in the state’s official press release. “Our economy is thriving because we invest in people, prioritize sustainability, and believe in the power of innovation. And, while we celebrate this success, we recognize that our progress is threatened by the reckless tariff policies of the current federal administration. California’s economy powers the nation, and it must be protected.”
The latest federal numbers show that California’s GDP reached $4.1 trillion, overtaking the previous No. 4 Japan at $4.02 trillion. In terms of US states, Texas would come in a distant second place with a $2.7 trillion GDP.
It’s kind of a fake metric, though. The statistic uses the International Monetary Fund’s rankings of GDP by nation, and the International Monetary Fund does not count California separately from the United States. But this is crossed-tabbed against the just-released US state GDP data, which shows California with the new $4.1 trillion GDP. So there could be some methodology differences, or comparisons of apples to oranges.
But our state’s economic growth is undeniable, and represents a big shit sandwich for all the wealthy conservative loudmouths who claim that Texas is a better place to do business than California.
"In 2024, California’s growth rate of 6% outpaced the top three economies: U.S. (5.3%), China (2.6%) and Germany (2.9%),” Newsom’s office adds in the release. “California’s success is long-term — the state’s economy grew strongly over the last four years, with an average nominal GDP growth of 7.5% from 2021 to 2024.”
Though the release also gets in a dig at Trump's tariffs. “President Trump’s tariffs are projected to shrink the U.S. economy by $100 billion annually,” Newsom’s release adds, explaining that’s why the state is suing to halt Trump’s tariffs.
Image: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 26: Gavin Newsom speaks onstage during the Vogue World: Hollywood Press Announcement at Chateau Marmont on March 26, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/WireImage)
