While announcing California Highway Patrol team deployments, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) criticized President Donald Trump. He mentioned the “blatant hypocrisy” of deploying National Guard troops and federal authorities to Democrat-led communities, emphasizing that there are higher crime rates in some jurisdictions led by the GOP.
Newsom described his expansion of officers to cities in the Golden State to combat crime as a “consequential contrast” to Trump’s efforts.
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‘De facto militarizing American cities’
“He’s doing things to people, not with people,” Newsom said Thursday. He added that Trump is “de facto militarizing American cities.”
The criticism comes after Newsom participated in a Politico forum where he warned Trump will likely seek a third term. He has also recently mocked the president on social media.
The governor’s warning follows Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Washington D.C., and as he threatens to send troops to Chicago. Newsom is also familiar with Trump sending National Guard troops to California in the wake of protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
Pending court decision
During Thursday’s press conference, Newsom also said he anticipates a court decision on the legality of Trump deploying thousands of troops to Los Angeles soon.
“I think the consequences will be profound and far-reaching,” he said of the court’s upcoming ruling. He added that it may have major “implications in terms of [Trump’s} authority to militarize American cities.”
Newsom calls out crime in GOP-led states
The governor presented flyers featuring Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves. It also highlighted crime statistics in their respective states.
“Look at the murder rate that’s nearly four times higher than California’s— in Louisiana,” Newsom said while holding up Johnson’s flier. “I want to present some facts to the president of the United States. And I imagine this is alarming to the president to learn these facts, particularly to Speaker Johnson, who has been such a strong partner and ally in these efforts. The carnage in Louisiana is well defined.”
“If the president is sincere about the issue of crime and violence, there’s no question in my mind that he’ll likely be sending the troops into Louisiana and Mississippi to address the just unconscionable wave of violence that continues to plague those states,” he added.
White House criticizes Democrats
The Trump administration has argued that Democratic leaders are refusing to work with the federal government to address crime in their communities. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also criticized the Democrats’ “soft-on-crime approach” ahead of Newsom’s press conference. She said that “the American people, including D.C. leadership, business owners and residents, are rallying behind President Trump’s crime crackdown.”
“President Trump’s approach of upholding law and order by letting our brave men and women in blue actually do their jobs to aggressively fight crime works,” Leavitt said. “In just a few weeks, President Trump has done more for D.C. residents than Democrats did in 50 years.”
