Sure, California is a big state, but a global economic force? It's not called the Golden State for nothing. California is the fourth-largest economy in the world, Governor Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday. With nominal gross domestic product of $4.1 trillion, the state now ranks behind only the overall U.S., China and Germany, the announcement said, citing data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Japan ranked fifth at $4.02 trillion. “California isn’t just keeping pace with the world – we’re setting the pace,” Newsom said in a news release . “Our economy is thriving because we invest in people, prioritize sustainability, and believe in the power of innovation.” Newsom also took aim at President Donald Trump ’s “reckless” tariffs, which he said threaten the state’s progress . “California’s economy powers the nation, and it must be protected,” he said. White House spokesperson Kush Desai told USA TODAY in an email statement that the state's economic progress is threatened by "foreign countries stealing the intellectual property of its leading technology firms, poor disaster management letting wildfires run ablaze, and lethal drugs and violent criminals ruining its communities." "Under the Trump administration, California has the potential to reach new heights – if the state’s leadership wouldn’t stand in the way," the statement continued. When it comes to the rest of the U.S., over $1 trillion separates California and the next-highest state, according to the data. Here’s where other U.S. states rank.
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