President Donald Trump had some tough feedback for California Gov. Gavin Newsom — and the governor is piping mad about it.
Late last week, riots began cropping up in California, as activists clashed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and local law enforcement over attempts to tamp down on illegal immigration.
The violence continued into Sunday, when Trump was forced to call in the National Guard to help make sure the riots didn’t get too out of hand.
That move prompted all manner of backlash from Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who both accused the president of escalating the situation instead of solving it.
(Both Newsom and Bass are Democrats.)
That prompted a furious response from Trump, both in-person and on social media.
Trump was inspecting a flagpole project while crossing the White House lawn, when a reporter mentioning “Gavin Newsom” caught the president’s ear.
“Gavin Newsom is, he’s daring Tom Homan to come and arrest him,” a reporter asked Trump once he stopped to listen. “Should he do it?”
“I would do it if I were Tom,” Trump responded. “I think it’s great. Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing.
Should California Gov. Gavin Newsom be arrested?
“He’s done a terrible job. Look, I like Gavin Newsom. He’s a nice guy.
“But he’s grossly incompetent, everybody knows it.
“All you have to do is look at the little railroad he’s building. It’s about 100 times over-budget.
“We’re putting a flag-pole over there — under-budget!
“I always do under-budget.”
You can view the entire video below:
Q: “Gavin Newsom is, he’s daring Tom Homan to come and arrest him. Should he do it?”
President Trump: “I would do it if I were Tom. I think it’s great. Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing. He’s done a terrible job.” pic.twitter.com/JU8OCWitdM
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 9, 2025
Given the smirk Trump sported before responding, he appeared to be largely joking about it.
Newsom did not find it funny — at all.
The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor.
This is a day I hoped I would never see in America.
I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward… pic.twitter.com/tsTX1nrHAu
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 9, 2025
“The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor,” Newsom posted. “This is a day I hoped I would never see in America.
“I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.”
Trump has further criticized Newsom — and Bass — about their initial lack of a response to the unrest.
Donald J. Trump Truth Social 06.09.25 12:10 PM EST pic.twitter.com/Mm1CKPLtP1
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) June 9, 2025
“We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California,” Trump posted earlier Monday. “If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated. The very incompetent ‘Governor,’ Gavin Newscum, and ‘Mayor,’ Karen Bass, should be saying, ‘THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP, YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL. WE WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU, SIR.’
“Instead, they choose to lie to the People of California and America by saying that we weren’t needed, and that these are ‘peaceful protests.’”
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