California’s superstar Governor Gavin Newsom launched one of his most blistering verbal assaults yet on President Donald Trump during a new interview with NBC News’s Kristen Welker. In the viral exchange, Newsom mocked Trump for confusing federal agencies while talking about nuclear testing. “He said the Pentagon should do it. Wake up Mr. President, I know he may have jet lag—it’s the Department of Energy!” the governor fired. “He doesn’t even know which agency is responsible for that. He may want to learn about computational capacity and how the Department of Energy tests this technology.”
Newsom’s comments came after Trump’s controversial statement during his trip to South Korea, where he claimed that the United States had “more nuclear weapons than any other country” thanks to him, and that he had “instructed the Department of War” to begin testing again—effectively ending a moratorium put in place by George H.W. Bush. “This is weakness masquerading as strength,” Newsom said sharply. “This is classic Trump and Trumpism. This guy is historically weak, and these are acts of a weak person trying to appear strong.”
His remarks quickly spread across social media, with millions viewing clips of the heated exchange. Political analysts described the moment as a defining example of Newsom’s growing national presence and his readiness to challenge Trump’s statements without restraint. Observers say the tone of his comments reflected rising tensions between state and federal leadership over national security issues and the credibility of America’s nuclear policy.
“He Got Played by Xi”: Newsom Accuses Trump of Weak Diplomacy
Newsom turned up the heat when discussing Trump’s relationship with China, saying he was “embarrassed” watching the President “negotiate away this country in the first five minutes of the photo op” with President Xi Jinping. He accused Trump of returning home “with nothing” and argued that he had been “played by Xi.” “He said, ‘We’re good,’” Newsom recalled mockingly. “He was negotiating away this country on live television. He came back with nothing to show for it.”
When NBC’s Kristen Welker interjected that Trump claimed to have struck a “good deal,” Newsom dismissed it. “He said that. How many trade deals? Ninety in ninety days? How many have you read and reviewed? How many have been signed? Zero!” he shot back. “His policy is press release. And the fact that you and I are paying more for toys this Christmas—and already paid more for Halloween—proves the recklessness of his policies.”
Newsom went further, accusing Trump of economic sabotage. “He’s wrecking this country,” he said flatly. “The jobs market is weak. Inflation is starting to creep back up. This is unprecedented—to see in such a short period of time this kind of destruction to the progress we were experiencing that he inherited.” His comments painted Trump as both diplomatically ineffective and economically careless, framing his leadership as one that prioritizes optics over outcomes.
Comparing Trump to Kim Jong Un — “The Whole Thing Is Performative”
In one of the interview’s most explosive moments, Newsom compared Trump’s public behavior to that of North Korea’s dictator, Kim Jong Un. When asked if he believed Trump would ever use a nuclear weapon, the governor replied, “He’s trying to masquerade as a patriot, trying to overcompensate, to be a tough guy. The only guy who’s been doing this is Kim Jong Un. I mean, the whole thing is performative from my perspective.”
Newsom admitted that in private conversations, Trump occasionally appeared calmer when discussing nuclear issues—but said that did little to ease his fears. “It scares the hell out of me to start talking about these kinds of things,” he said. “Hopefully cooler heads will prevail, because again, he doesn’t even know what he said or what he was talking about.” The governor’s tone revealed both frustration and genuine concern over what he described as Trump’s “reckless and uninformed” approach to global security.
Political commentators said Newsom’s remarks marked one of the clearest examples yet of a Democratic leader directly confronting Trump’s approach to leadership and foreign policy. By labeling him “historically weak” and comparing him to autocrats, Newsom drew a stark contrast between his own pragmatic image and Trump’s chaos-driven style. As the interview continues to dominate headlines nationwide, one question echoes through the political landscape: Could Gavin Newsom’s confident composure and sharp critique make him a more trusted leader in the eyes of Americans than President Trump himself?
