President Donald Trump used a press conference at the White House on Friday to sharply criticize California Governor Gavin Newsom, blasting the Democrat for what he described as incompetence in governing and failure to deliver basic services for residents of his state.
The event, originally held in the Oval Office to showcase the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, brought Trump together with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
The two stood beside the World Cup trophy as they discussed preparations for matches to be held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
But when the event was opened up to reporters, the conversation quickly shifted from soccer to California politics.
Brian Glenn, a Real America’s Voice reporter and boyfriend of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), asked Trump about whether U.S. states were prepared to host the global tournament.
The president responded by turning his attention squarely on Los Angeles — and the governor of California.
“Well, Los Angeles is an example,” Trump began. “You know, it’s poorly run. We have a mayor there that can’t even get permits to the people that lost their houses.”
Trump contrasted the city’s struggles with his administration’s own efforts, crediting former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin for swiftly approving federal permits to rebuild homes.
“Lee Zeldin got every permit. The hardest permit is the federal permit,” Trump said. “Within 20 days, every single permit was there for the people to build their houses; but people are writing us and they’re saying, ‘They won’t give us’ — the mayor is incompetent. The governor is incompetent.”
Trump did not stop at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. He broadened his attack to Newsom personally, describing him as a politician skilled at rhetoric but unable to deliver results.
“You know, Gavin — I know Gavin very well. He’s an incompetent guy with a good line of bullshit, and he doesn’t get the job done; and frankly, those people want to build their houses. It’s terrible. They could have been built. Some of them could have been built already.”
The critique underscores a broader frustration among conservatives who view California as a symbol of Democratic failure — plagued by rising crime, homelessness, and bureaucratic red tape, even as its leaders attempt to mock political opponents online.
Indeed, Trump’s remarks came just as Newsom has shifted his social media strategy. In recent days, the governor and his staff have begun aggressively mocking Trump directly, crafting posts that emulate the former president’s own bombastic rhetorical style.
The campaign, which has drawn the attention of Trump’s supporters, appears aimed at baiting the president into a public fight.
For Trump, however, the central issue remains what he calls the real-world consequences of Newsom’s leadership: families left waiting for permits to rebuild their homes and a state government unable to deliver on its most basic promises.
“The governor is incompetent,” Trump repeated flatly. “Those people want to build their houses.”
With the World Cup still nearly two years away, Trump suggested that California’s inability to handle its housing and permitting crises raises questions about its preparedness to host the world.
[READ MORE: Watters Revives Video of Newsom Toppling Child in Beijing Amid Speculation on 2028 Bid]
About Post Author
