California Governor Gavin Newsom has been increasingly vocal in his criticism of President Donald Trump on his official @GovPressOffice account. However, on Tuesday, he went too far by mocking the release of Israeli hostages.
In his post, he made a sarcastic remark, which was perceived as highly inappropriate.
The post was taken down over 13 hours later, following significant backlash from individuals upset that the governor would mock the release of 20 innocent hostages taken by Hamas during the attack on October 7, 2023.
This incident could reflect poorly on the Democratic Party, especially as some within it have developed deep animosity toward both Mr. Trump and Mr. Netanyahu.
The response might have been even harsher had the post not coincided with the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret, which also marks the second anniversary of the October 7 attack on the Hebrew calendar.
No apology was offered from the governor’s office.
Interestingly, another similar post which also taunted the president regarding the hostage release remains up, pointing out details from a time magazine cover about those hostages and ceasefire deals.
Newsom, who seems to have presidential aspirations, may find this post used against him by future opponents to argue that he might not be suitable for managing U.S. foreign and national security policy.
The @GovPressOffice account is managed by a team under Newsom’s guidance, including Izzy Gurdon, who has publicly discussed her involvement and often engages with conservative critics online.
