Kathrine Frich
Donald Trump says he is astonished that California Governor Gavin Newsom is considering a run for the presidency.
In an interview, the US president launches a sharp attack on the state’s leadership and points to a multibillion-dollar prestige project as a warning example.
“Surprised he even wants to run”
President Donald Trump says he is deeply skeptical of Gavin Newsom’s plans to make a bid for the White House in 2028. In an interview with The California Post, conducted in the Oval Office after Trump’s administration filed several lawsuits against California, he questions the governor’s credentials.
“I’m surprised that Gavin even wants to run,” Trump said, according to the newspaper, going on to describe Newsom’s leadership as “incompetent,” writes the New York Post.
Criticism of California
Trump, who himself owns a golf resort in California, draws a clear distinction between the state’s image and how he believes it is governed.
“People love the dream of California, but they hate what’s happening to them,” he says, calling for what he describes as a completely different kind of leadership.
Leading Democratic polls
Gavin Newsom has recently become increasingly visible on the national stage and has adopted a more aggressive tone, particularly on social media.
According to averages compiled by RealClearPolitics, he currently leads the polling average ahead of the Democratic primaries in 2028.
Newsom is polling at around 24 percent among Democratic voters, followed by former Vice President Kamala Harris at 21 percent. Pete Buttigieg and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez follow behind.
High-speed rail in the crosshairs
Trump argues that Newsom’s record in California could become a liability in a national campaign. He singles out the controversial high-speed rail project between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The project, estimated to cost around 135 billion US dollars, has become the most expensive rail investment in US history. Trump calls it a “train to nowhere” and says the cost overruns are unprecedented.
“It was supposed to be a simple train between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It’s the biggest cost overrun I’ve ever seen,” he said, according to the interview.
Delays and missing money
The train was originally scheduled to be completed in 2020. Now the target is 2030, and even then only a limited stretch in the Central Valley, far from the major cities.
At the same time, financing has been unstable, with federal funds being withdrawn, reinstated and then withdrawn again. The result is that California taxpayers have been forced to shoulder an ever larger share of the cost, according to the New York Post.
A relationship gone cold
Trump also describes how his relationship with Newsom has changed over time.
“We used to get along. Now it’s hopeless. They’ve gone far to the left,” the president says.
The two recently met in Davos during the World Economic Forum, where Newsom openly criticized Trump in front of international leaders. Trump confirms that they spoke but declines to go into detail.
“I saw him in Davos. We talked. It was okay,” he says briefly.
