The White House struck back Friday against Gavin Newsom's latest attack against President Donald Trump, saying the Democrat California governor is more concerned about illegal immigrants than his own constituents by claiming Immigration and Customs Enforcement will be stationed at voting booths in 2026 to suppress turnout.
Newsom has been on what appears to be a daily diatribe against Trump and the MAGA movement. During the Pivot podcast on Friday, he again alleged that Trump is trying to rig the 2026 midterms by pressing GOP states to redraw their congressional maps to give more seats to Republicans, who hold a narrow majority in the House.
"We have to recognize that there are no limits with this guy, and if he can rig next year's election, I mean we joke about not having another one. I don't think that's a joke," Newsom told host Kara Swisher. "He will wire this for the next 20, 30 years. If it's a JD [Vance], it doesn't even matter. He will wire it.
"He's already sending out mass people to intimidate folks. When we launched our campaign, he did it down in Little Tokyo in LA. Do you think ICE is not going to show up around voting and polling booths to chill participation? You know that. The National Guard, you know that. Everybody knows what's at stake. So, we have to put a stake in the ground and do things differently."
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Newsmax in a statement that Newsom is showing his stripes by stoking fear about the administration's crackdown on illegal immigration.
"It's no secret that Newscum puts illegal aliens before law-abiding American citizens; now he's just saying the quiet part out loud," Jackson said, using by the nickname coined by Trump.
The relationship between Trump and Newsom has grown increasingly tense since the president federalized California's National Guard without his approval in June to quell civil unrest in Los Angeles and protect ICE agents and federal buildings.
Newsom has adopted a combative, almost satirical approach to Trump, trolling him on social media with memes, parody merchandise, and all-cap posts that mirror Trump's communication style. At the same time, he has sharpened his rhetoric — suggesting Trump is showing signs of cognitive decline, questioning his commitment to democracy, and highlighting symbolic provocations like the "Trump 2028" hats sent his way by the president's supporters.
Beneath the theatrics lies something far more consequential. Policy fights and legal clashes have only widened the divide. Newsom is leading a court challenge against Trump's decision to deploy federal troops to Los Angeles, arguing it was unconstitutional. He has also attacked Trump's semiconductor deals as reckless, while simultaneously pushing a redistricting effort in California that could reshape House representation in Democrats' favor.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.