Newsom calls Trump “most destructive president” in Munich speech
California governor Gavin Newsom escalated his attacks on Donald Trump on Friday, calling the US president “the most destructive” leader in American history and accusing him of “doubling down on stupid”.
Newsom’s remarks came from the main stage at the Munich Security Conference, as US-European relations remain strained and Democrats use the gathering to urge European leaders to stand up to Trump.
Newsom sharpens his message on climate
In Munich, Newsom framed his criticism around climate and governance. He said Trump was “trying to recreate the 19 century” and “turn back the clock”.
He also argued the climate crisis is already hitting Americans, pointing to droughts, floods and wildfires. Newsom added that climate impacts cut across party lines, saying there is “no Republican thermometer” and “no democratic thermometer”.
A political line aimed beyond the conference hall
Newsom told the audience Trump was “temporary” and predicted he would be “gone in three years”.
The comment lands as Newsom continues to be discussed as a potential Democratic contender for the 2028 presidential race, even as he insists his focus is governing California.
Democrats urge Europe not to “grovel” to Trump
Newsom is part of a wider Democratic presence in Munich that includes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Ruben Gallego and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, according to reporting ahead of the weekend.
The same reporting quotes Newsom criticising European leaders for “grovelling” and making themselves “look pathetic on the world stage” in recent remarks.
A summit shaped by anxiety over the transatlantic bond
Munich opened with warnings from German chancellor Friedrich Merz that the global order “no longer exists” and that neither Europe nor the US can go it alone, as leaders weigh how to reset trust across the Atlantic.
For now, Newsom’s intervention adds a fresh domestic US edge to a conference dominated by questions about security, alliances and the political direction of Washington under Trump