At a Glance
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom slammed European leaders for “rolling over” to Trump at Davos
- He urged them to abandon “b—– diplomacy” and show backbone
- Newsom compared Trump to a T. rex: “You mate with him or he devours you”
- Why it matters: The Democrat’s sharp rhetoric highlights growing global tension over Trump’s second-term style
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal Democratic critics, used the one-year anniversary of Trump’s second inauguration to excoriate European leaders for appeasing the U.S. president at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Newsom’s Davos Tirade Targets European Leaders
Speaking Tuesday in the Swiss Alps, Newsom accused European heads of state of “rolling over” to Trump and pleaded with them to “wake up.”
“This b—– diplomacy of sort of niceties, somehow we’re all going to figure it out, saying one thing privately and saying another publicly. Have some spine,” Newsom declared.
The governor’s remarks followed Trump’s social-media post earlier in the day that featured screenshots of friendly texts from French President Emmanuel Macron, who addressed Trump as “my friend.”
A Predatory Metaphor
Newsom likened Trump to an apex predator and warned that conventional diplomacy fails against him.
“(Trump) is T. rex: You mate with him or he devours you. One or the other, and you need to stand up to it,” Newsom said. “Europeans should decide for themselves what to do, but one thing they can’t do is what they have been doing. And they have been played. This guy has been playing folks for fools.”
Merchandising the Moment
The governor, who has been selling red knee pads labeled “all your groveling to Trump needs” on the website of his political action committee Campaign for Democracy, joked that he should have brought the merchandise to Davos.
“I can’t take this complicity – people rolling over,” he said, suggesting he would hand the knee pads to European leaders.
Nobel Jab
Newsom also criticized recent Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Machado for handing her award to Trump after the arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“Nobel prizes that are being given away. It’s just pathetic,” he said. “And I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage.”
Escalating Feud
The governor has steadily intensified his attacks on Trump across foreign policy, immigration and environmental issues. Earlier in January, Newsom labeled Trump “brainless” for withdrawing the U.S. from the United Nations climate framework, arguing the move surrendered global leadership.
During a Tuesday news conference marking his first year back in office, Trump returned fire, mentioning Newsom twice and branding him “awful.”
“California is a failed state,” Trump said. “If Newsom was president, this country would be like Venezuela.”
EV Pitch Amid Political Theater
While in Davos, Newsom also promoted California as a stable hub for zero-emission vehicles, highlighting 2.5 million EV sales in the state, according to the governor’s office.
Trump was scheduled to arrive in Davos later Tuesday for meetings with NATO leaders at the forum.
Key Takeaways:
- Newsom’s blunt language signals a more confrontational Democratic strategy toward Trump
- European leaders face pressure to balance trans-Atlantic ties amid Trump’s transactional approach
- The governor’s dual message – political attack and economic pitch – underscores California’s effort to assert global influence independent of Washington
