Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has been actively criticizing and fact-checking claims made by President Donald Trump and high-ranking members of the Republican Party, including Vice President JD Vance and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, among others.
Newsom, who is reportedly eyeing a presidential run in 2028, amplified a social media post by Trump today and replied: “Trump knows he is going to LOSE in 2026. His plan to rig new Congressional seats is going to backfire — thanks to California. Now, he’s clamoring for other ways to cook the results. This man reeks of DESPERATION. Let’s keep up the pressure.”
(Newsom is referring to California’s redistricting moves, which come in response to a Trump-induced push by Abbott in Texas to redraw congressional maps there to favor the GOP in the 2026 midterms.)
Trump knows he is going to LOSE in 2026.
His plan to rig new Congressional seats is going to backfire — thanks to California.
Now, he’s clamoring for other ways to cook the results.
This man reeks of DESPERATION.
Let’s keep up the pressure. pic.twitter.com/h3Nf23XNDq
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 18, 2025
In addition to Newsom’s X account (@GavinNewom), there is the official “Governor Newsom Press Office” account which has also been actively ridiculing Trump by mimicking the President’s language and style of social media posting (a lot of words in CAPS, calling himself “America’s Most Favorite Governor,” and his sign-off phrase “THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!”).
WOW! WHAT AN HONOR! ON MOUNT RUSHMORE, THANK YOU!! — GCN https://t.co/Y7Govaliwz
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 18, 2025
The Governor’s account took delight in the purported irony of Fox News star Trey Gallagher calling their tweets “childish” and “unbecoming of a leader” and responded in Trump fashion by calling Gallagher a “bird-brain” and saying his news show should be cancelled immediately.
BIRD-BRAIN TREY GALLAGHER (A SO-CALLED FOX “NEWS” HOST THAT NOBODY HAS EVER HEARD OF) SAYS MY POSTS ARE “CHILDISH” AND “UNBECOMING” OF A LEADER — CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? MANY ARE SAYING FOX (“EDIT THE TAPES”) NEWS SHOULD CANCEL HIS PATHETIC LITTLE “BEDTIME SHOW” IMMEDIATELY. THEY ARE… https://t.co/vQIEAjP8Ez
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 16, 2025
Trump’s Presidential Envoy for Special Missions Richard Grenell (who reportedly considered running against Newsom for Governor in 2021) also criticized Newsom by writing on X: “It’s so obvious that @GavinNewsom isn’t the person actually tweeting from his account. It’s some new team he’s hired who has convinced him to step aside and let them try something new. He’s so phony. He’s not even able to tweet on his own!”
It’s so obvious that @GavinNewsom isn’t the person actually tweeting from his account.
It’s some new team he’s hired who has convinced him to step aside and let them try something new.
He’s so phony. He’s not even able to tweet on his own!
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) August 19, 2025
More than one X user responded to Grenell’s comment by noting that many politicians don’t write their own tweets. As Amy Piper replied: “Trump also has a press team,” and “Who do you think writes the tweets for @WhiteHouse?”
[NOTE: In 2018, discovery in a lawsuit concerning President Trump’s tweets revealed that media expert Dan Scavino worked with Trump on his social media posts. The New York Times reported that “both parties to the lawsuit agreed” that Scavino “assists President Trump in operating the @realDonaldTrump account, including by drafting and posting tweets to the account.” Trump’s Truth Social account posts are said to be drafted by the President himself.]