Donald Trump’s attempt to belittle Gavin Newsom as a “nice guy” who “looks good” but is “incompetent” has backfired, as the governor has effectively turned the insult into a weapon. Newsom has ignored the personal jab and responded with a substantive and damaging accusation about Trump’s constitutional ambitions.
The contrast in their attacks is stark. Trump’s insult was superficial and personal. Newsom’s counter was a detailed, firsthand account of an Oval Office meeting with serious constitutional implications. This has allowed Newsom to appear more serious and statesmanlike in the exchange.
The timing suggests Trump’s insult was a response to Newsom’s increasingly effective online trolling. However, Newsom’s decision to escalate from online mockery to a serious public warning has completely changed the dynamic of their feud.
By absorbing the “incompetent” label and firing back with the third-term revelation, Newsom is demonstrating his “fight fire with fire” strategy. He is showing that he will not be deterred by personal attacks and will instead raise the stakes of the debate to a level where such insults seem trivial.