California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press team is adopting a new social media strategy that mirrors President Donald Trump’s signature online presence. Newsom’s press office account on X has begun posting in all capital letters, signing off with three initials and is even using common Trump phrases on social media, such as “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Mimicking and mocking Trump
The Democratic governor’s team has posted artificial intelligence-generated memes, including one featuring Kid Rock — a prominent Trump supporter — portrayed as endorsing Newsom.
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The governor accepted the endorsement in jest, echoing Trump’s own post of “I accept” in response to a similar AI-generated meme suggesting Taylor Swift supported him. Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
Newsom followed up with a blunt post saying, “I hate Kid Rock!” — resembling Trump’s short, sharp response to Swift.
The strategy reflects the meme-heavy, satirical tone often seen in Trump’s own posts, many of which were amplified by his White House press team.
Nicknames for critics
Newsom has also borrowed another Trump tactic: assigning nicknames to critics.
After Fox News host Dana Perino criticized his social media activity, Newsom’s press team fired back online, calling her “Dana Ding Dong Perino.”
He also labeled Fox host Trey Gallagher “Bird Brain Trey Gallagher” and Vice President JD Vance “Just Dance Vance.”
The tactic is reminiscent of Trump’s long-running use of nicknames, including “Bird Brain” for Nikki Haley and “Governor New-Scum” for Newsom himself.
Political context
The shift in strategy comes as California pushes ahead with a redistricting plan that could net Democrats five additional congressional seats, while Texas advances a map that could give Republicans the same gain.
The fight has placed Newsom at the center of partisan battles against Trump and the GOP, and it may also be a step toward elevating his national platform ahead of a possible 2028 presidential run.
