Gavin Newsom stepped down as Donald Trump and issued a warning when he staged the future of American democracy at a party with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday (September 23), warning that the 2028 presidential election might not even happen if Americans don’t take action.
“I’m worried we won’t have a general election in 2028,” Newsom told Colbert, whose voice was stable but urgent. “I mean, in the heart of my soul – unless we wake up to what’s going on in this country.”
The California governor did not back down, calling Trump the “son of AB ####” while defending his state’s 41 lawsuits against the former presidential administration.
“What people appreciate is that we are willing to fight, not only have some fun, but also have substantial combat,” he added. “We have 41 lawsuits against AB’s son. We are backing down, we are winning, and filling a gap on many issues.”
Newsom noted that Trump’s decision to deploy 4,000 National Guard and 700 active-duty Marines to Los Angeles in anti-ice protests in 2020. “He sent troops to American cities to American citizens, and the ice problem was shocking,” he said. “It is the largest private military or police force anywhere in the world. He will increasingly be sworn in instead of the U.S. Constitution.”
He also described a disturbing incident involving a 15-year-old student with disabilities in Los Angeles. “They pulled the gun with a gun,” Newsom said. “The masked man jumped out of the unmarked car. People disappeared. There is no due process. No supervision. Zero responsibility. ”
The 57-year-old Democrat has long positioned himself as one of Trump’s most aggressive political opponents. His state is often labeled as “resistance” during Trump’s first term, leading allegations of federal immigration, climate change and health care policies.
Newsom admits: “This guy is flooding the area, he is dominant in the narrative, the fact doesn’t seem to matter, and frankly, it’s hard for Democrats to back down.”
He also criticized Trump’s global leadership, saying the former president had abandoned “leadership and moral authority in the rest of the world.”
Newsom’s aggressive approach has increased his national popularity. According to Calmatters, he is seen as a Democratic contender in 2028, although his aggressive tone has sparked debates in his own party.
