White House Reaction to Newsom’s Imitation of Trump

For the Trump administration, there seems to be a sense of amusement in imitation.

Last week, when officials spotted California Governor Gavin Newsom mimicking President Trump’s distinctive rhetoric and social media style, the reaction was less than positive. An ally of Trump remarked that Newsom’s attempts didn’t quite hit the mark. “If he wanted to provoke President Trump, it didn’t work,” the ally noted with a chuckle.

“Truth be told, there’s only one Trump,” they added.

For over a week, Newsom has been putting effort into echoing Trump’s brash social media antics, even capitalizing on certain phrases like “beautiful.” He seemed to be channeling a kind of attitude towards Republicans, from administration officials to Trump-friendly media figures.

Democrats appear keen on political sparring and leadership shifts, and many have found Newsom’s approach intriguing. Some strategists suggested that it was about time someone stood up to Trump more effectively.

However, Republicans have countered that Newsom’s antics aren’t resonating well, at least from their perspective. In a recent Fox News interview, Vice President Vance criticized Newsom’s mimicry.

“The notion that Gavin Newsom can somehow emulate Donald Trump’s style fails to acknowledge the uniqueness of Trump’s political success: he is authentic,” Vance remarked. “You have to represent a genuine narrative. It’s really not that complicated.”

Other Republicans echoed this sentiment.

“If the president is concerned about Newsom, he shouldn’t be. I’d be quite surprised if he was,” said Shelmichael Singleton, a Republican strategist with ties to the first Trump administration. “Newsom leads a state struggling with policies that have been overwhelmingly rejected by voters in recent elections.”

“California isn’t a model for Democrats to aspire to,” Singleton continued. “Why let someone with such unpopular views get under your skin?”

On Thursday, Trump threatened to withhold funding from California school districts that didn’t comply with an executive order barring transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports.

“California school districts that ignore our transgender policies will lose funding,” Trump posted on a social media platform. “Thank you for being cautious about this issue!”

Some Democrats, along with a few quieter voices from the Republican side, interpreted this as a direct jab at Newsom.

“I admire the president, but when he engages in these political battles, it shows a moment of vulnerability,” said one Republican operative. “He tends to avoid letting shots like that slide, that’s his style.”

On the evening prior, Trump also commented on social media regarding Newsom’s declining poll numbers.

“Gavin Newsom has dropped significantly in the polls,” he wrote. “He was once viewed as a major player but is now harming California’s reputation. I’ll save California!!!”

The White House mostly shrugged off Newsom’s recent attempts as insignificant and possibly fueled by an obsession with Trump.

A spokesperson circulated memes from “Mad Men,” humorously suggesting that Newsom was fixated on Trump while the president overlooked Democrats.

Sources close to the White House joked about Newsom’s imitation being “the highest form of flattery.” They said, even if Newsom’s actions weren’t particularly concerning to them, they did boost the governor’s profile as a counterpoint to Trump.

“The White House views his actions as trivial, essentially flattering,” an insider stated. “It may work for Newsom, but I’m not sure he can convert that into a Democratic nomination.”

Nonetheless, Newsom’s strategy seems to be gaining traction.

A poll released recently showed him in second place behind potential 2028 candidate Kamala Harris, garnering 13% support compared to Harris’s 26% among respondents.

Another poll indicated that Californians have a 25% to 19% preference leaning towards Newsom over Harris.

While Newsom might be aware of his support, there’s no indication he plans to tone it down, especially given his central role in ongoing media discussions regarding California’s policies.

“Today, we’re enhancing our maps,” he posted on a social media platform over the past week.

The governor teased an announcement set for Friday, even selling “hats” mimicking Trump’s slogan, reading “Newsom is right about everything.”

Trump, recognizing the ongoing rivalry, took another swipe at Newsom.

“Gavin knows what he’s doing,” Trump remarked. “He’s an incompetent person with empty rhetoric who won’t follow through on his tasks.”