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Vance Torches Newsom For Social Media Stunt

3 mins read
JD Vance
via Gage Skidmore

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s sudden shift to a brash, Trump-style social media persona has set off a storm of reactions across the political spectrum, with Vice President JD Vance calling the act hollow and embarrassing.

On Fox News’s Ingraham Angle, Vance took direct aim at Newsom’s new approach, which includes shouting in all-caps, giving rivals nicknames, and praising his own events as “beautiful.”

The vice president dismissed the act as nothing more than a poor imitation of President Trump.

“This idea that Gavin Newsom is somehow going to mimic Donald Trump’s style — I think that ignores the fundamental genius of President Trump’s political success,” Vance said.

He noted that the president succeeds because “he’s authentic” and doesn’t need to play a role. “He just is who he is.”

When host Laura Ingraham pointed out Democrats are still doing a “2024 autopsy” and think being tougher and more Trump-like is the way forward, Vance rejected the idea outright.

“The autopsy for the Democrats is simple: stop sounding like crazy people,” he said bluntly.

“You’ve got to be yourself. Actually talk to people honestly. Don’t be a crazy person. Be authentic.”

Newsom, often mentioned as a possible 2028 contender, has leaned into his revamped online persona over the past week.

He’s posted rants in capital letters, mocked rivals with insulting nicknames, and staged rallies where he describes his proposals as “beautiful” — a clear echo of Trump’s language.

On Wednesday night, Newsom’s press team went even further, mocking Fox News for covering his antics nonstop.

The statement read in part: “WOW! FOX NEWS CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT ME (GAVIN C. NEWSOM), AMERICA’S FAVORITE GOVERNOR!!! TONIGHT THEIR ENTIRE PRIMETIME LINEUP WAS ABOUT ME!”

The post even joked about Jesse Watters calling him “daddy” and claimed Sean Hannity was “nearly crying” because the governor ignored his advice.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) defended Newsom’s shift in an interview with CNN, calling it a “teaching moment.”

Swalwell claimed Newsom was simply holding up a mirror to Trump’s behavior, asking voters if that’s really the leadership they want.

“It’s silly, it’s cheeky, but it’s also offense,” he said.

But not every Democrat is impressed. MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough blasted the move as “quite embarrassing.”

On Morning Joe, Scarborough told viewers Democrats are “trying to find their footing and it’s embarrassing actually.”

He warned Newsom not to overreact with flashy social media stunts. “Take a deep breath,” he said. “Don’t try to turn the ship 180 degrees.”

Instead, Scarborough urged Newsom to focus on affordability issues, like lowering grocery costs, housing, and energy bills, rather than copying Trump’s online style.

The California governor’s messaging pivot comes as his state pushes a controversial redistricting plan to counter moves in Texas.

Last week, Newsom rallied support for the proposal, declaring the nation needed to “wake up” to what President Trump was doing in office.

The plan would place California’s congressional map directly before voters this November, allowing lawmakers to redraw districts mid-decade and bypass the state’s independent redistricting commission.

Former President Barack Obama threw his support behind the plan, praising Newsom’s proposal as “a smart, measured approach.”

Obama argued that gerrymandering should not exist, but since Texas is pursuing its own partisan map, California had no choice but to fight back.

“Over the long term, we shouldn’t have political gerrymandering in America,” Obama wrote online.

“But since Texas is gerrymandering mid-decade, I respect how Governor Newsom has approached this. He’s put forward a smart approach designed for a particular moment in time.”

Newsom appeared on a conference call alongside Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, and Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier (D) to rally support behind California’s plan.

“Yes, we’ll fight fire with fire,” Newsom said during the call. “Yes, we will push back. It’s not about whether we play hardball anymore — it’s about how we play hardball.”

The joint appearance was notable, given both Newsom and Booker are frequently floated as possible 2028 presidential hopefuls.

Booker used the moment to position Democrats as defenders of due process and the rule of law.

“This is all-hands-on-deck right now,” Booker warned. “People are going to ask, ‘Where did you stand when Donald Trump was violating court orders? Where did you stand when he was trashing the concept of due process?’”

At one point, Rep. Collier was told to leave the call because she was participating from a bathroom in the Texas Capitol.

“They said it’s a felony for me to do this. Apparently I can’t be on the floor or in a bathroom,” she remarked.

Booker quickly jumped in, saying, “Rep. Collier in the bathroom has more dignity than Donald Trump in the Oval Office.” He then added that Republicans were trying to silence a Black woman and called the situation “outrageous.”

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Clark Kelley

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