California Governor Gavin Newsom has adopted a new political playbook—and it looks suspiciously like Donald Trump’s. In a calculated attempt to provoke the president and rally his own faltering party, Newsom has embraced the very tactics that made Trump a conservative icon: blunt rhetoric, bombastic style, and social media theatrics.
Newsom, a Democrat with national ambitions, is now openly mimicking Trump’s persona. From labeling his redistricting plan “beautiful” to holding his own “beautiful” rallies, Newsom has gone from governing California to performing politics. His social media posts now scream in all caps, and he’s even rolled out his own Trump-style nickname: TACO, short for “Trump Always Chickens Out”—a juvenile jab originally coined by Wall Street critics of Trump’s tariff strategy.
The press, predictably, is eating it up. Left-leaning outlets like The Huffington Post celebrated Newsom’s trolling spree with headlines like “He’s on a troll,” while mainstream commentators on both sides have taken notice. On Fox News’s The Five, his imitation game didn’t go unchallenged.
Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons, who worked for Vice President Kamala Harris, praised Newsom’s race-to-the-bottom strategy: “Standing up for Dem values doesn’t mean you have to play by the old rules… Newsom is showing he’ll go as low as he needs to take on Trump.” A revealing admission.
While Democrats flounder in the polls—63% of voters now view the party unfavorably, according to a recent Wall Street Journal survey—Newsom’s antics are being touted by party insiders as a much-needed energy boost. Yet that “boost” seems to rely less on policy or leadership and more on social media stunts and name-calling.
Anthony Coley, a Democratic advisor from the Biden administration, claimed Newsom’s online aggression is “refreshing” and “fun to watch.” That may say more about the state of the Democratic Party than about Newsom’s qualifications for national leadership.
Polls show Newsom gaining ground for 2028, with a recent Echelon Insights survey placing him second behind Harris. During the August 14–18 polling window—when Newsom dominated headlines—he pulled in 13% support.
But Newsom’s Twitter account isn’t just targeting Trump. He’s also mocking Vice President J.D. Vance with doctored images and attacking conservatives like Dana Perino. Perino fired back: “If I were his wife, I would say: You are making a fool of yourself… He has a big job as governor of California, but if he wants an even bigger job, he has to be a little more serious.”
Despite the growing follower count on his press office’s X account—approaching 400,000—some Republicans argue Newsom’s strategy is all style, no substance. GOP strategist Kevin Madden said bluntly: “It’s reflective of a communications tactic, not a governing vision… There’s little evidence it’s shifted the national debate in his favor.”
In short, while Newsom’s copycat campaign may win clicks and headlines, it raises serious questions: Is imitation the highest form of flattery—or the lowest form of leadership?
