Loading record
Public disputes concerning political parties, public officials, institutions, political conduct, and governance in the United States.
Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.
4 statements on this page. Dates: September 18, 2026 to October 5, 2026
4 matching statements. Dates: September 18, 2026 to October 5, 2026
4 published statements. Dates: September 18, 2026 to October 5, 2026
2 published statements. Dates: September 21, 2026 to October 5, 2026
2 statements on this page. Dates: September 21, 2026 to October 5, 2026
Role at the time: Governor of California
Response to this claim
Trump was saying that foreign enemies of the United States should "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego.
“After sending the National Guard and Marines to occupy California, Donald Trump is now saying our foreign enemies should “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom's post on his personal X account, quoting a clip of the rally remark posted by the commentator Acyn.
The reference point is whether Trump's remark meant Iranian attacks on Los Angeles and San Diego would be an acceptable price for the war, as critics read it, rather than that the war prevents a nuclear Iran from being able to attack them, as the White House says. Newsom reads the remark as Trump saying foreign enemies should attack the two cities and calls him dangerous, which asserts and condemns the critics' reading. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, but Newsom does more than dispute a description: he states what he says Trump meant and criticizes it. Evidence: Newsom's own post on X.
Role at the time: Governor of California, on his official X account
Statement summary
On X, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) responded to the White House's launch of a "Trump TV" livestream by writing that Trump "banned independent news from the White House" and is "now... launching what is quite literally state-run TV," which he called "truly autocratic behavior from a failed President."
“First, Trump banned independent news from the White House. Now, he's launching what is quite literally state-run TV to try drowning out the fact that he and his corrupt administration are failing the American people. This is truly autocratic behavior from a failed President.”
Newsom's post on his official X account (@CAgovernor), quote-posting a White House post that announced the Trump TV stream. The post is timestamped 8:08 PM EDT on September 21, 2026 (00:08:11 UTC on September 22).
Relative to Trump's decision to exclude CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House access because of their coverage, Newsom links the new state-run livestream to that exclusion and directly condemns both as autocratic.
2 published statements. Dates: September 18, 2026 to September 27, 2026
2 statements on this page. Dates: September 18, 2026 to September 27, 2026
Role at the time: Governor of California
Statement summary
In his veto message, Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote that, while he supports the author's goal of protecting Californians' sensitive personal information, a categorical ban on sharing that information is a step too far.
“a categorical ban on sharing that information is a step too far”
Newsom's signed message explains his reasons for vetoing the sensitive-data bill.
The reference point is Newsom's decision to veto AB 1542, the bill that would have barred businesses from selling or sharing sensitive personal information. Newsom explains that a categorical ban on sharing is a step too far, which supports the veto as the right call, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional, because he also says he supports the bill's goal; he still declines to sign it, so it loses.
Role at the time: Governor of California, posting on his official X account and through his office's official press release
Statement summary
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order accelerating implementation of the state's independent AI oversight laws (SB 813 and AB 1405), directing state agencies to convene experts on further measures including a frontier-model "kill switch," citing the Hugging Face attack as a motivating incident. He called on Speaker Mike Johnson to return from recess and pass national legislation modeled on California's framework, saying California will continue to act if Congress does not.
“Today I'm signing an executive order to speed up a first in America AI safety policy that we have here in California. [...] It dramatically speeds up our new law, creating a framework for truly independent safety checks, independent verification organizations, as well as moving the timeline up for oversight of AI auditors up by a full year. [...] California will do what it can, but this nation needs to get in the game. Washington DC needs to do its job. Remarkably, they left for a summer break. Mike Johnson should return from vacation and follow California's lead by passing national legislation. Get it done. That's what leadership requires, setting a comprehensive safety framework as a floor. [...] And if Congress, again, won't act, California will.”
Official California governor's office release, September 18, 2026, announcing an executive order that accelerates implementation timelines for SB 813 (independent verification organizations) and AB 1405 (AI auditor registry), and directs state agencies to convene experts on further measures including a frontier-model "kill switch." It cites the Hugging Face attack as a motivating incident and explicitly calls on Congress and Trump to adopt California's framework as a national floor. This is the fuller official record of the same announcement Newsom posted to X the same day.
Newsom endorses it directly, both through his own state action and by explicitly calling on Congress, naming Speaker Johnson, to pass comparable federal legislation. That places him with the same week's cluster of Democratic officials making this argument: Jeffries (985), Ansari (988), Crow (995), Shapiro (1011) and Pritzker (1013). The closest competing label is condemns, since the statement criticizes Trump and Congress as "asleep at the wheel"; that loses because the criticism is that they have failed to enact safeguards Newsom supports, which endorses the proposition. Unlike Shapiro and Pritzker, Newsom's statement is backed by an actual executive order and existing state law (SB 53, SB 813, AB 1405) rather than a stated aspiration alone.
