Newsom vs. Trump: A Clash of Titans or a Comedy of Errors?
California Governor Gavin Newsom has emerged as one of the most prominent critics of President Donald Trump since his re-election last year. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sees this vocal opposition as a sign of Newsom’s vulnerability.
“I think Gavin Newsom may be cracking up; some of the things he’s saying suggest he might be in over his hairdo,” Bessent commented during an interview with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns for “The Conversation.”
Trump’s chief economic adviser didn’t hold back, suggesting that Newsom—a potential contender for the 2028 presidential race and a long-time adversary of Trump—has a “brain the size of a walnut” and knows “less about economics than” former Vice President Kamala Harris, a remark he clarified as “a terrible place to be in.”
These remarks reflect the ongoing feud between Trump and Newsom, which reached new heights at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Newsom was slated to speak at USA House during the conference, but his appearance was abruptly canceled. While Newsom pointed fingers at the Trump administration for this snub, organizers claimed they wanted to prioritize discussions centered around business leaders.
At Davos, Newsom made the rounds with world leaders, while Bessent and Trump were also present. Upon his arrival, Newsom urged European leaders not to capitulate to Trump’s demands on various foreign policy issues. In a somewhat theatrical moment, he brandished a pair of kneepads emblazoned with Trump’s signature, mocking those leaders he feels have been too compliant with the president.
Bessent downplayed the “strange things” Newsom has said during his attacks on Trump, which include the knee pad stunt and an analogy likening Trump to a dinosaur. “To say strange things like President Trump is a tyrannosaurus rex, what the hell does that mean? I can say Gavin Newsom is a brontosaurus with a brain the size of a walnut,” Bessent quipped. “And, if you brought the knee pads, maybe that was for his meeting with Alex Soros.”
In a defense of the Trump administration against accusations of being disconnected from the economic realities facing Americans, Bessent asserted that the administration is focused on safeguarding the investments of “mom and pop” retirees who may own “5, 10, 12 homes.”
Bessent took yet another jab at Newsom, branding him “Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken” during a speech at the conference. “I think it was a Democratic governor, Newsom, who made the comment about being out of touch. What does he truly understand? His father worked for the Getty family,” Bessent remarked. “I genuinely believe he knows less about economics than Kamala Harris, which is a dismal position to be in.”
The complete interview with Bessent will air on “The Conversation,” promising further insights into this high-stakes political drama.
