President Trump, in a surprise visit to Tuesday’s White House press briefing, insulted California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The president called the Golden State a “disaster state” with a governor who “truly is doing a bad job, is killing that state,” pointing to California’s regulations.
As speculation swirls over Mr. Newsom running as a Democratic candidate for president in 2028, Mr. Trump said that if the California governor ever ran the country, it would turn into Venezuela.
Venezuela has seen economic collapse, humanitarian suffering, political repression and mass emigration in recent years.
Speaking to reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr. Newsom urged foreign leaders to stand up against his own nation’s president. He said European leaders are being “played” by Mr. Trump and must “stand tall, stand firm, stand united” against him as he pursues control over Greenland.
“This is diplomacy? With Donald Trump?” Mr. Newsom said. “He’s a T. rex: You mate with him, or he devours you. One or the other.”
He said it’s “embarrassing” that world leaders are “sucking up” to Mr. Trump in public.
“I can’t take this complicity of people rolling over. I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders. I mean, handing out crowns, the Nobel prizes that are being given away. It’s just pathetic,” Mr. Newsom said. “And I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage.”
Mr. Newsom has taken on the role of Democratic attack dog against Mr. Trump, mocking him at every turn.
In May, the president shot back, saying, “I would love him to run for president” since his infatuation with a high-speed rail that is billions over budget and hasn’t been built and his handling of the Los Angeles wildfires make him unelectable.
Mr. Newsom said in October he planned to decide whether to run for president once the 2026 midterm elections are over.
His term as governor ends in January 2027, and he can’t run again due to term limits.
