California Gov. Gavin Newsom used his State of the State deal with Tuesday to blast President Donald Trump administration for a “relentless, unhinged California obsession” whereas additionally touting the state’s achievements on its one hundred and seventy fifth anniversary of statehood.
The Democratic governor opted to ship the letter to the state Legislature as a substitute of delivering it publicly. Newsom, who’s seen as a possible presidential contender for 2028, additionally launched a shortened model of the annual report on his social media channels. The letter criticized the president and his insurance policies for bringing chaos and disruption to California, with out mentioning Trump by title.
“We are actually 9 months right into a battle to guard the values we maintain most pricey and to protect the financial and social basis we constructed for California,” Newsom wrote. “We face a federal administration constructed on incompetence and malicious ignorance, one which seeks the loss of life of impartial considering.”
Newsom hasn’t achieved a proper deal with in a number of years, a departure from a long time of custom.
The state has been a battleground for the Trump administration after its hardline immigration technique spurred protests, and the deployment of the Nationwide Guard and the Marines. The federal authorities has additionally reduce funding to the state’s long-delayed high-speed rail challenge, rolled again the state’s first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of recent gas-powered vehicles and sued the state over its legislation that enables transgender ladies to compete on ladies sports activities groups.
California responded by suing the administration 41 instances. Lawmakers earlier this yr licensed giving $50 million to California’s Division of Justice and different authorized teams to assist defend the state’s progressive insurance policies. California can be combating again towards Trump’s transfer to droop funding to College of California, Los Angeles, over allegations of civil rights violations associated to antisemitism and affirmative motion, Newsom stated.
“It could be a mistake to assume California is cowering within the face of this onslaught,” Newsom stated.
The letter additionally outlines what Newsom described as California’s achievements — highlighting the state’s resiliency and fast restoration effort to the devasting wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this yr in addition to different developments in tech, inexperienced vitality and training in an financial system that exceeds $4.1 trillion. He additionally highlighted the state’s volunteer drive of tens of 1000’s of younger folks and a tax credit score program to deliver again Hollywood productions.
State Republicans stated Newsom is prioritizing constructing his nationwide profile as a substitute of engaged on points in California. James Gallagher, the Republican chief of the state Meeting, pointed to the state’s ongoing price range deficits, homelessness disaster and sky-high prices of dwelling in a social media submit responding to Newsom’s letter.
Gallagher additionally criticized Newsom’s push for a brand new U.S. Home congressional map to assist Democrats win extra seats and probably achieve management of the Home forward of the 2026 midterms. California’s transfer was to counter a comparable effort led by GOP lawmakers at Trump’s urging in Texas.
“Cease refusing to indicate up and really do the work of being a governor,” he stated within the video.
