Gavin Newsom Says Trump's 'Ruthlessness' Is Clear After National Guard Federalization, Urges People To 'Wake Up What Is Going On'

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) on Wednesday renewed his criticism of President Donald Trump's decision to federalize California National Guard troops and deploy active-duty Marines to Los Angeles to confront immigration protests, saying some forces remain under federal control months after the June operation.

Newsom Slams Troop Deployment As Fear Tactic

Newsom posted on X, "Trump’s ruthlessness is clear: he federalized 4,000 of our state’s National Guard and sent 700 active duty Marines to threaten and invoke fear in the very people they have sworn to protect. Wake up to what is going on in this country."

He paired the post with a clip from his New York Times DealBook Summit interview, where he accused Trump of using roughly the Guard members and Marines in Los Angeles to "chill participation" in rallies, casting the months-long deployment as a threat to constitutional oaths and civil liberties.

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Federal records show Trump ordered those forces to the city in June to quell protests over stepped-up immigration raids, over Newsom's objections. About 300 Guard troops remain federalized or on duty in the region, according to a Reuters report from late October.

Governor Ties Security Clash To Broader Trump Critique

Newsom's legal and rhetorical attacks on Trump's Guard moves follow earlier clashes over energy and climate policy, including his charge that Trump's "reckless" agenda is letting China pull ahead in clean energy and battery storage.

At Wednesday's event, Newsom scolded CEOs and financiers for "bowing" to Trump and chasing his favor, remarks that echoed his recent launch of satirical "MAGA kneepads" targeting corporate and political Trump allies. He also criticized what he called Trump's "1,800s approach" to manufacturing and warned that "China understands the opportunity," saying Beijing is expanding its influence in South America and Europe.

Speculation Grows Around Newsom's 2028 Ambitions

Newsom's escalation comes as he emerges as a leading prospect for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. Polling aggregators like YouGov show him near the top of early preference surveys. Asked by DealBook moderator Andrew Ross Sorkin about the front-runner buzz, he said he was "humbled" but insisted he is not weighing a White House bid "to the degree that you think."

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