Newsom warns Trump crackdown on California ‘won’t stop here’

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday escalated his criticism of former President Donald Trump, warning that the federal crackdown on Los Angeles protests is part of a broader assault on American democracy.

“California may be first, but it clearly will not end here,” Newsom said in a live-streamed address, condemning Trump’s decision to deploy troops to Los Angeles to quell unrest over immigration raids.

Newsom, widely viewed as a potential Democratic presidential contender in 2028, accused Trump of overstepping his authority and fueling a broader effort to undermine constitutional norms.

“Trump is a president who wants to be bound by no law or constitution, perpetuating a unified assault on American tradition,” he said.

He cited alarming reports of immigration agents detaining a pregnant U.S. citizen and a four-year-old girl in unmarked vehicles.

“If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe,” he said. “Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there.”

Newsom accused Trump of launching a wide-ranging attack on public institutions and democratic checks since returning to the White House in January.

“He’s declared a war, a war on culture, on history, on science, on knowledge itself,” the governor said.

He criticized Trump’s upcoming 79th birthday celebration, which includes a military parade in Washington to mark the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.

“He’s forcing the military to put on a vulgar display to celebrate his birthday, just as other failed dictators have done in the past,” Newsom said.

He further warned that American democracy is in peril.

“He’s taking a wrecking ball to American democracy, and said there were no longer any checks and balances on the president,” Newsom said. “Congress is nowhere to be found.”

Urging Americans to resist but remain peaceful, Newsom called for accountability.

“I know many of you are feeling deep anxiety, stress and fear,” he said. “What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty, your silence, to be complicit in this moment. Do not give in to him.”

Newsom has not shied away from direct confrontations with Trump. Since protests erupted in Los Angeles five days ago, he has challenged federal threats and engaged in high-profile disputes on social media.