Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, has made headlines with an explicit attack on Donald Trump’s “unhinged” venality and European leaders’ naivety and “complicity” when it comes to the US President.
Newsom, 57, who is positioning himself for presidential run in 2028, is presenting himself as the last bastion of liberal democracy against Trump’s autocratic tendencies.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the prominent Democrat said: “I should’ve brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders. I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage. I mean, at least from an American perspective, it’s embarrassing.”
He added: “He’s a T-Rex. You mate with him or he devours you. One or the other … Wake up!”
Newsom has established himself as one of the leading Trump critics in the United States, deploying a ruthless social media strategy parodying the President’s Truth Social ranting, wandering and incoherent speeches, and naps on the job – alongside more traditional criticism of his policies and disregard for the law or the US constitution.
It’s the “rule of Don,” not the rule of law. Trump is unhinged — and dangerous.World leaders: Stop whispering in private and caving to him in public. Stand strong. Stand united!Wake up! pic.twitter.com/EBbZAFFcab
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 20, 2026His efforts have riled the President and Republicans, with the White House Communications officer commenting, “Gavin Newscum sounds like a petulant child who can’t control his emotions,” after his Davos comments.
Newsom’s X account shot back: “Poor piggy is spiraling on Twitter because Daddy Newsom is the one everyone’s watching at Davos.”
The Democrat also declared “Snowflake alert” after criticism from the right-leaning New York Post, and tweeted an altered version of a photo – already altered by the White House to show Trump in the Oval Office with a map showing Canada and Greenland colonised by America. In Newsom’s tweet, the map was captioned: “Plan to distract from the Epstein files.”
pic.twitter.com/JOii39Iz9k
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 21, 2026Western leaders are being forced to rethink their approach to engaging with Trump after a year of trying to convince him to respect international law resulted in threats to invade Greenland.
World leaders including Emmanuel Macron of France and Canada’s Mark Carney took a leaf out of Newsom’s book at Davos, using their speeches to condemn “bullying” and “coercion” by unnamed great powers.
Sir Keir Starmer and other politicians who have failed to “Trump whisper” their way to good terms with the President are taking note of the more resolute and confrontational style shown by figures like Newsom.
Starmer’s trade deal triumph last May appears to be in tatters after Trump threatened 10 per cent tariffs on countries who sent troops to defend the island, and the Prime Minister’s “Trump card” of a second state visit to the UK does not appear to have guaranteed any help for Britain.
Dr David Andersen, associate professor in US politics at the University of Durham, said Starmer and others should “take the lesson from Newsom that placating an authoritarian leader can only go so far”. He added: “There are times when deference and complacency are the most effective strategies, but there are also times when you risk giving away more than you protect.”
“Trump hates weakness,” said Dr Mark Shanahan, associate professor of political engagement at the University of Surrey. “Newsom has found a way to prick his pomposity, particularly through humour. After a year of Western leaders attempting to flatter favour from the 47th president, it may well be that they have to learn from Newson and abandon appeasement.”
Newsom has opened The Patriot Shop, an online store packed with Trump-style merchandise – “the greatest merchandise ever made” – poking fun at the President’s extreme rhetorical style.
Popular items include a hat with a logo “NEWSOM WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING” – a nod to the red baseball cap Trump likes to wear bearing the slogan: “TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!” – and kneepads sporting Trump’s signature “for all your grovelling to Trump needs” – which the California governor suggested he should have brought to Davos for European leaders.
Newsom’s The Patriot Shop is selling kneepads with Trump’s signature on them. They are available ‘For all your groveling to Trump needs – now in Republican red. For the low low price of your soul’ according to the websiteNewsom presents himself as the only one fearless enough to take on Trump, calling out Democrats and Republicans who do not want to cross a vengeful and vindictive President.
“Newsom is clearly signalling to Americans that he is ready to lead the charge to fight back against Trump and his MAGA base,” said Dr Andersen. “Newsom’s primary goal is to solidify his standing as the figure who is leading that resistance, and poised to become the Democratic nominee to replace Trump in the presidency.”
The Democrat warned yesterday: “I’ve seen this in the United States, this supine Congress, playing both sides – saying one thing in a text or a tweet and another publicly. It’s time to have principle.”
Newsom is “very media savvy and genuinely has a sense of humour – something not apparent in Trump,” said Dr Shanahan. “He’s been pretty fearless in trolling the President as he builds his profile across America and his comments on world leaders yesterday were in keeping with those he’s made domestically.”
The California governor’s statement at Davos was an opportunity to present himself on the world stage, as a possible future president.
“Yesterday’s outburst was planned and aimed primarily at American voters,” said Dr Shanahan. “Newsom wants to draw the clearest blue water between himself, Trump and also the gaggle of Democrat would-be candidates likely to emerge after the Midterms. He wants to position himself as the prospective leader of the free world.”
So far, Newsom is by far the most visible Democrat candidate for the 2028 presidential election. A YouGov survey this month found that 31 per cent of Democrat-leaning voters thought Newsom would win the 2028 presidential election if they were the nominee, well ahead of former vice-president Kamala Harris on 16 per cent and Arizona senator Mark Kelly on 6 per cent.
“Among Democrats, Newsom is very effective,” said Dr Andersen. “He is the combative counterpunch to Trump that many Democrats have been longing for.”
While he is not universally popular – and is far less liberal than many Californians would like him to be on matters from legalising psychedelics to protecting the role of unions – this could, paradoxically, help him win the presidency.
“This centrism may make him appealing in a national election where he has to win over some of those who gave their vote to Trump,” said Dr Shanahan.
Dr Andersen warned, however, that Newsom’s confrontational approach might be less popular with independent voters. “I think there is less enjoyment in seeing another combative political figure,” he said. “While Newsom does seem to counterbalance Trump well, I don’t know that he is going to win much support from independents who may see him as a continuation of uncivil politics.”
In California, Newsom has been fighting back against Trump’s National Guard deployment with legal challenges, and his attempt at redrawing district lines to skew the voting in the Republicans’ favour in the midterm elections. Newsom and fellow Democrats championed a new House of Representatives map to counter Trump’s efforts – and won in a landslide.
Following that, Newsom’s favorability rating surged 10 percentage points over the year to 56 per cent in December, according to a poll from the Public Policy Institute of California.
The results show that the path to winning may lie in a focused and aggressive challenge to Trump, galvanising a Democrat electorate bruised by a whirlwind year of his presidency.
Whether European leaders emulate him remains to be seen. But they will be taking note.
Your next read
square SIMON MARKS AnalysisTrump’s incoherent rambling leaves EU leaders guessing over Greenland
square WORLD AnalysisWhat Trump really wants (and why he’s going to get it)
square DONALD TRUMPThe ‘unflinching’ plan to hit back at Trump from inside the US
square WORLDHow Putin is using the Trump crisis to poison Europe
Hence then, the article about firebrand gavin newsom is showing america how he ll beat trump was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Firebrand Gavin Newsom is showing America how he’ll beat Trump )
Also on site :