California Governor Gavin Newsom recently suggested that President Donald Trump seems to have taken a mental detour, in a clear contrast to former President Joe Biden.
In an episode of the New York Times’ Daily podcast, released on Thursday, Newsom criticized Trump, implying that the president is creating an alternate reality concerning the federal government’s response to the issues in Los Angeles.
“He’s not there. I mean that,” Newsom remarked during his conversation with host Michael Barbaro.
Newsom described Trump’s actions regarding the riots as erratic and indifferent.
“I spoke to the President, and a few hours later, I woke up to more news,” he noted.
Barbaro responded with a simple, “Wow.”
Newsom emphasized the absurdity of the president’s behavior, describing him as someone who, after making dismissive comments, seemed to pivot to talking about the National Guard and other matters he had mentioned earlier.
When Barbaro asked him to elaborate on his “not everyone” statement, Newsom admitted, “I don’t know. Honestly, he really talked about our conversation after he announced that U.S. Marines would be deployed for domestic law enforcement.” He noted Trump claimed to have had another chat with him.
In a separate interview with Fox LA, Newsom stated that Trump “lost it” and isn’t the same person he was four years ago.
However, Newsom didn’t express similar concerns regarding Biden’s mental fitness, despite some Democrats questioning it. After Biden’s challenging debate with Trump last summer, Newsom firmly stated to CBS News that he fully supported Biden’s reelection.
Last year, on “Meet the Press,” Newsom remarked that he had seen Biden in person and felt that his age didn’t negate his capabilities.
Concerns about Biden’s mental fitness have circulated since he took office, particularly after the recent release of the book “Original Sin,” which brought to light troubling examples from his presidency. By the end of his second term, Trump, who will be 79 soon, will surpass Biden as the oldest president ever.
Newsom and Trump are currently responding to the president’s actions after last week’s immigration enforcement operations commenced in Downtown.
Trump ordered the deployment of U.S. Guards and 700 Marines to bolster local law enforcement. Newsom opposed these actions, calling them a “violent abuse of power” in a recent speech. Democrats accused Trump of exacerbating the situation for his political advantage.
The White House has not yet commented on this situation.
