California Gov. Gavin Newsom mocked President Donald Trump on Wednesday after the president called him “incompetent” and threatened to send National Guard troops back to Los Angeles.
The feud between the two leaders has stretched through the summer, with Trump repeatedly criticizing Newsom’s handling of protests and wildfires, while Newsom has countered with sharp jabs on social media. On Tuesday, Trump threatened to redeploy troops to California despite a federal judge ruling the earlier deployment illegal.
By Wednesday, Trump had escalated, telling reporters that Newsom was “incompetent” and blaming him for water management policies that he claimed, without evidence, contributed to the Pacific Palisades fires in January. Trump alleged the governor did not allow emergency water reserves to be used, a charge Newsom has dismissed as false.
The public dispute began in June when Trump deployed about 4,000 National Guard members and several hundred U.S. Marines to Los Angeles following protests against ICE raids. Trump federalized the state’s National Guard over Newsom’s objections, leading the governor to sue the administration.
Newsom responded to Trump’s latest remarks on X, writing, “So you can have them sleep on the floor again? We’re good,” alongside a photo of troops lying on the floor during their deployment. Later, after Trump repeated his claims about the fires, Newsom posted, “Do people with dementia repeat the same falsehoods and crazy conspiracies over and over again?” The post included a description of how dementia patients often repeat mistaken beliefs due to memory loss.
Newsom also shared a video montage set to “I’m a Survivor” by Reba McEntire, showing Trump stumbling on the steps of Air Force One and highlighting a bruise on his hand. The governor has mirrored Trump’s online style, typing in all-caps and inventing mocking nicknames for his critics.
In recent weeks, Newsom has parodied Trump’s late-night posts, once replying to “GOOD NIGHT!!!” with “Night night grandpa!” Trump ignored the taunts until August 20, when he wrote on Truth Social, “Gavin Newscum is way down in the polls. He is viewed as the man who is destroying the once Great State of California.”
The exchanges have since intensified, with Trump’s allies sending Newsom red “Trump 2028” hats. Newsom countered by distributing “Newsom 2026” mugs and hats reading “Newsom was right about everything!”
Source : The Independent
