Gavin Newsom's Trump-style trolling roils critics while thrilling fans

At this point, it feels unfathomable for a politician to campaign or legislate without some form of social media presence. It's a perhaps inevitable technological advance cemented in place by President Donald Trump's bombastic use of the medium. But if Trump set the template for modern social media politicking, it's California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) who has emerged most recently as the Democrats' leading online gladiator, in large part by conspicuously mocking the president's digital cadence and mannerisms.

Newsom's ongoing salvo of Trumpian barbs has thrilled many Democrats who've hungered for leaders to take a more aggressive stance toward the administration. At the same time, Newsom's embrace of the president's coarse messaging has agitated conservatives and some liberals alike — even as the governor takes their opprobrium as proof positive that his social media tactics are working.

'Entering the fray is both messy and worth it'

Newsom's Trumpified social media feed has earned attention "from all ends of the media," and succeeded at "energizing Democrats eager to see members of their party fight back at the president," The Hill said. Within the party, Newsom "in particular" is demonstrating that he will "go as low as he needs to to take on Trump," said Democratic strategist and former Kamala Harris Communications Director Jamal Simmons to the outlet. He "isn't just trolling MAGA," said digital strategist and former Pete Buttigieg Online Engagement Director Stefan Smith to Politico. Instead, he's "proving" to his party that "stepping off your digital high horse and entering the fray is both messy and worth it."

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Newsom "looks like the only person" among Democrats "organizing a fight that they feel they can win," said longtime Trump adviser Steve Bannon to Politico. "He's no Trump, but if you look at the Democratic Party, he's at least getting up there."

According to Newsom's team, there are metrics to back up the foray into Trump-style posts. The governor's office claims there has been an "influx" of "more than 325,000 followers" to his @GovPressOffice account since Newsom began his new social media strategy, said SFGate. The response to Newsom's first Trump-inflected post this month (initially intended as a "one-time joke") was "overwhelming compared with previous posts," said The New York Times.

By creating an "edgy resistance" through his online appropriation of Trump's social media style, Newsom is "essentially acknowledging that many of Trump's tactics are effective," Axios said. Despite "valid reasons to despise what Newsom is doing," said Nick Catoggio at The Dispatch, "for now, against my better judgment, I'm enjoying it" thanks in large part to the fact that Newsom's posts "are legitimately funny." In an America that's "rapidly declining," Catoggio said, a "troll who's good at trolling" can absolutely "get elected president. And has."

'He has to be a little bit more serious'

"I don't know" what Newsom is "trying to do," said Fox News host Trace Gallagher, "but it comes across as childish." Newsom is a "vile piece of shit," said White House Communications Director Steven Cheung after one of Newsom's posts warned the president of "THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE AS YOUR PRESIDENCY ENDS (DEMS RETAKE CONGRESS!)" Given the longstanding rumors of Newsom's 2028 presidential ambitions, if he "wants an even bigger job, he has to be a little bit more serious," said Fox News host and former George W. Bush Press Secretary Dana Perino. Instead, Newsom should remember that "copying isn't a good look and it isn't working," Perino said on X when pressed about Trump's social media presence.

That Newsom has "pretty much stolen podcasts, memes and trolling tactics" from the "MAGA playbook" is not "coincidence," said former Trump White House Director of Digital Content Billy McLaughlin at Fox News. "That is proof of impact."

Still, even among some Democrats, Newsom's Trumpian turn is raising questions about the governor's priorities and plans for the future. While it's good that Newsom "abandoned the 'sit down with our mortal enemies for podcasts' phase of his political career," said a "top Democratic strategist" to CNN, his pivot speaks to a "fundamental problem" he has with the party base: "He says and does what he thinks is right for him in the moment as opposed to what is right for the country."