Criticism of Governor Newsom by Treasury Secretary
Following sharp criticism of California Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent again expressed his disapproval during a Friday podcast called “Conversations with Dasha Barnes.”
In his earlier remarks, Bessent had compared Newsom to “Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken,” a response to the governor’s description of President Donald Trump as a “Tyrannosaurus” at the World Economic Forum. On the podcast, he went further, labeling Newsom a “brontosaurus” with a “small brain,” among other unflattering comments.
Bessent stated, “I think there’s some offense taken by Gavin Newsom regarding his statements. I wonder if he’s concerned about his hair.” He added, “It’s quite a leap to say something as strange as calling President Trump a tyrannosaurus.”
He continued, “I mean, you could really say Gavin Newsom has a brain the size of a walnut.” Bessent then made a somewhat humorous suggestion that if Newsom brought knee pads, they were likely for a meeting with Alex Soros, though he admitted uncertainty.
Newsom has also showcased knee pads that he sells, claiming they’re designed for leaders looking to “sell” to the Trump administration, as reported by CNBC. In response, Governor Newsom quipped that “the last round of knee pads is sold out, much like the law firm is sold out,” further asserting that many corporate leaders, along with numerous American universities, have compromised their integrity by appealing to the current administration.
Additionally, he displayed a pair of red knee pads signed by President Trump during the discussion.
Bessent remarked, “Governor Newsom, who seems enthralled by Patrick Bateman and Ken Sparkle Beach, may be the only Californian who understands economics as well as Kamala Harris does.” He pointed out that Newsom’s presence in Davos could be ironic given his history of enforcing strict lockdowns while others were penalized for attending church.
In a separate social media post, Alex Soros, the chairman of the Open Society Foundations and son of billionaire George Soros, expressed admiration for Newsom, praising him for confronting world leaders who believe in appeasing Trump—a strategy Soros claimed only serves to embolden him further.
