California Governor Takes Center Stage at Davos with Trump Criticism

California Governor Gavin Newsom sparked controversy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, after using the global platform to criticize President Donald Trump and his administration, generating a series of viral moments and sharp exchanges between the political rivals.

As Trump and his officials met with global government and business leaders to discuss economic matters and advance negotiations on a potential U.S. acquisition of Greenland, Newsom positioned himself as a counterweight to the president on the international stage.

The California governor made headlines immediately upon arrival with a provocative statement about world leaders’ interactions with Trump. “I should have brought a bunch of kneepads for all the world leaders,” Newsom told media representatives, calling foreign officials “pathetic” and urging them to “have a backbone” when dealing with the White House.

Newsom further compared Trump to a Tyrannosaurus rex, stating, “This is diplomacy with Donald Trump. He’s a T.rex. You mate with him, or he devours you, one or the other.” He warned European leaders they could be “devoured” if they continued their current approach to Trump.

The comments quickly circulated on social media, generating millions of views and significant backlash. Commentator Stephen A. Smith criticized Newsom for making such remarks while overseas, arguing that an “America first” mentality should transcend domestic political differences on the world stage.

“I have no problem with Gavin Newsom being candid and open about his feelings about our president on United States soil. To go over to another country, Switzerland, to be in the presence of other European leaders, speaking against the President of the United States — I’m not down with that,” Smith said on his podcast.

The controversy intensified when Alex Soros, son of billionaire Democratic donor George Soros, posted a photo with Newsom on social media. “So glad he’s here calling out world leaders for believing appeasement works when it comes to Trump,” Soros captioned the image. The photo prompted immediate criticism from Trump officials and conservatives online.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent seized on the opportunity to mock Newsom, describing him as “Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken” and criticizing his presence in Davos. “He’s here this week with his billionaire sugar daddy, Alex Soros, and Davos is the perfect place for a man who, when everyone else was on lockdown, when he was having people arrested for going to church, he was having $1,000 a night meals at the French Laundry,” Bessent said during a press conference.

The tensions escalated further when Newsom claimed he was barred from speaking at USA House, the official U.S. pavilion at the forum. “California was just denied at the USA House. Last we checked, California is part of USA,” Newsom posted on social media, with his office attributing the decision to pressure from the White House and State Department.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly responded sharply, saying, “No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California.”

Despite the friction, Newsom attended Trump’s speech at the forum, where cameras captured him smirking as Trump mentioned him by name. “I know Gavin was here. I used to get along so great with Gavin when I was president. Gavin’s a good guy,” Trump said, adding that his administration would help California combat crime.

In perhaps his most theatrical moment, Newsom later displayed what he called “Trump signature series kneepads” during a panel discussion, doubling down on his earlier criticism. “It’s not what we should be doing. But you’ve got to point out the absurdity,” Newsom said of the political prop.

The governor suggested that the Trump administration’s personal attacks against him indicated his effectiveness as a critic. “We’re deeply in their head. I think the affordability agenda appears to be I’m living rent-free in the Trump administration’s head,” he remarked.

These exchanges at Davos highlight the intensifying political rivalry between Trump and Newsom, who is widely viewed as a potential Democratic presidential candidate for 2028. The controversy also underscores the increasingly partisan nature of U.S. representation at international forums during a contentious election year.