Newsom Urges Foreign Leaders to Stand Firm Against Trump in Unusual Comparison

California Governor Gavin Newsom launched a scathing critique of world leaders for their approach to President Donald Trump during remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, describing their behavior as “pathetic” and subservient.

“People are rolling over. I should have brought a bunch of kneepads for all the world leaders,” Newsom told reporters at the prestigious global gathering. “It’s pathetic.”

Newsom, who is scheduled to deliver a formal address to the forum on Thursday, accused European leaders of being “complicit” with Trump and urged them to “have a backbone” in their diplomatic dealings with the president. His comments come as Trump prepares to attend the same forum, departing for Switzerland on Tuesday evening.

The California governor’s remarks reflect escalating tensions surrounding Trump’s recent diplomatic maneuvers, particularly his intensified efforts to acquire Greenland from Denmark and threats to impose steep tariffs on several European nations if no deal is reached.

Trump announced in January plans to levy a 10% tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland beginning February 1 if negotiations over Greenland fail. He further threatened to increase those tariffs to 25% by June 1 without an agreement, a move that has significantly strained relations with European leaders.

Greenland, a self-governing island within the Kingdom of Denmark located in the Arctic, has strategic significance for national security interests. The region has seen increased Chinese activity in recent years, and historically served as a vital military outpost for missile detection during the Cold War.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded to Trump’s tariff threats at the forum, calling them “a mistake, especially between long-standing allies,” and reminding attendees that “a deal is a deal,” referring to a trade agreement reached between the EU and the United States last July.

Newsom’s criticism extended to gifts foreign leaders have presented to Trump, specifically mentioning Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado’s gesture of gifting her Nobel Peace Prize to the president in January.

“Nobel Prizes, they are being given away. I mean, it’s just pathetic. And I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage. I mean, at least from an American perspective. It’s embarrassing,” Newsom said.

Using colorful language, the governor compared Trump to a Tyrannosaurus rex, suggesting that when dealing with him, world leaders either “mate with him, or he devours you.” He urged European leaders to “stand tall, stand firm, stand united” in their approach to the president.

During the forum, Newsom was photographed with Alex Soros, son of philanthropist billionaire George Soros, who is also attending the event.

When asked about Newsom’s presence in Davos, Trump reflected on what he described as a formerly positive relationship with the California governor during his first term in office.

“I had a very good relationship with Gavin Newsom when we were, you know, in office together,” Trump told reporters. “He was the governor of California. We had a really… he would talk about it often. And, somewhere, we just went astray. I just hate the way California is being run.”

The clash between Newsom and Trump highlights the growing polarization in American politics and raises questions about how international leaders will navigate relationships with the Trump administration amid controversial policy demands and tariff threats. As both men participate in the World Economic Forum this week, their contrasting approaches to international diplomacy and governance will be on full display on the global stage.