Earlier this year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) maintained a cooperative stance with President Donald Trump, seeking federal assistance to combat the state’s devastating wildfires. As Newsom eyed a potential bid for the White House, he appeared to take a more moderate approach in his dealings with the administration.
According to the Associated Press, the political truce has shattered. Trump made a decisive move by federalizing the National Guard in Los Angeles against Newsom’s objections, prompting the governor to retaliate with a lawsuit against the administration.
Newsom accused Trump of abusing his power, calling the act a blatant step toward authoritarian control.
The clash highlights a deepening divide between the Republican president and a Democrat with ambitions of leading his party. At the center of the conflict is a troop deployment, originally intended to quell city unrest, but now expanded to assist in arresting immigrants — a controversial cornerstone of Trump’s policies.
In defense of his decision, Trump stated that without military intervention, Los Angeles “would be a crime scene like we haven’t seen in years.”
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Newsom “totally lost control of the situation.”
“Los Angeles was safe and sound for the last two nights,” Trump said. “Our great National Guard, with a little help from the Marines, put the L.A. Police in a position to effectively do their job. They all worked well together, but without the Military, Los Angeles would be a crime scene like we haven’t seen in years. Governor Gaven NewScum had totally lost control of the situation. He should be saying THANK YOU for saving his ass, instead of trying to justify his mistakes and incompetence!!!”
For Trump, his ongoing clash with Newsom presents yet another opportunity to challenge a political adversary who leads a deeply Democratic state — one the president has repeatedly criticized.
Meanwhile, Newsom has turned the confrontation into a national spotlight, positioning himself as a key figure in a Democratic Party searching for strong leadership against Trump.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.,) voiced support for Newsom, stating on Wednesday, “He has shown he’s not going to be intimidated, and we’re all for that.”
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, a former California resident, pointed to Newsom’s broader ambitions, suggesting that his opposition to Trump is a strategic move.
“This is all about Gavin Newsom running for president in 2028, and what he is hoping is that becoming the face of a resistance to Trump is going to jog him to victory in Democratic primaries,” Shapiro said on his podcast “The Ben Shapiro Show.”
