California Governor Gavin Newsom intensified his criticism of President Donald Trump, accusing him of illegally federalizing the National Guard and threatening states’ rights.
In a clip posted to X, Newsom said Trump is “unhinged” and “flaming the fires” of unrest following violent protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids.
This is exactly what Donald Trump wanted.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 9, 2025
He flamed the fires and illegally acted to federalize the National Guard.
The order he signed doesn’t just apply to CA.
It will allow him to go into ANY STATE and do the same thing.
We’re suing him.pic.twitter.com/O3RAGlp2zo
“This is exactly what Donald Trump wanted,” Newsom wrote in the post, adding that the president’s order could let him deploy troops to any state. “We’re suing him,” he added.
The video shows Newsom on Brian Tyler Cohen’s podcast, calling Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth “a joke” and “an embarrassment,” claiming Hegseth represents “weakness masquerading as strength.”
Newsom said the federal move poses a serious risk to civil liberties and could preview further overreach. Trump has defended the deployment, citing the need to restore order in L.A., where protests turned violent after federal immigration enforcement actions.
