Gavin Newsom isn’t lobbing polite policy critiques anymore — he’s swinging with intent. The California governor has shifted from subtle shade to full-throttle mockery, zeroing in on Trump’s image and daring him to defend it. From viral clapbacks to pointed speeches, Newsom has made it a h abit to needle Trump where it hurts most — his ego, his branding, and the glossy mythology around his so-called achievements.  Newsom’s latest swipe may be one of his most direct and he did not hold back. Newsom dubbed Trump’s $300 million White House ballroom a “knock-off Versailles” amid the government shutdown. (Photo Credit: Yana Paskova/Getty Images for NYT; ChipSomodevilla/Getty Images) Newsom Skewers White House Over Obama Video, Then Shreds the Excuse and Serves Trump His Biggest Complaint on a Silver Platter While in Atlanta over the weekend, Newsom appeared alongside Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens during a stop on his book tour for “Young Man in a Hurry.” According to Daily Mail, the conversation was meant to focus on leadership and his memoir, but it quickly pivoted to Trump’s high-profile renovation agenda — including the demolition of the White House East Wing to build a $400 million ballroom, the closure of the Kennedy Center for renovations after slapping his name on it, and plans for a triumphal arch expected to carry Trump’s name. Seated in a tailored blue suit with his legs crossed high — a posture that quickly drew as much attention as his words — Newsom took aim at the president’s carefully cultivated “builder-in-chief” image. “Breaking things is not strength. Tearing things down is not strength,” the suave governor said, referencing a quote from former House Speaker Sam Rayburn. DC resident on Trump putting his name on the Kennedy Center:"We should all be shocked that a convicted felon, a thug, and by all means a grifter has just stuck his name on top of a national monument." pic.twitter.com/hzNcucRha5— FactPost (@factpostnews) December 19, 2025 He continued, “Any jack— can tear down a barn, but it takes a skilled carpenter to build one. Tearing things down is not strength. Trump is not a builder. He’s a jack—.” The quote cut straight to the core of Trump’s long-standing narrative about his gifts. The president and those who help sustain his image have repeatedly described him as a lifelong developer, who makes things bigger and better and has been doing this most of his life. Newsom’s argument was clear: demolition and rebranding do not automatically equal craftsmanship. Adding fuel to the fire, a recent CNN report detailed how, beneath the ongoing renovations, Trump is rebuilding the Presidential Emergency Operations Center — not merely as a crisis command post, but as a fully livable refuge designed with his own long-term comfort in mind.When a clip of the fireside chat was posted on Facebook, many people weighed in. “He’s right about Trump isn’t builder… He likes to destroy things, people, buildings,” one commenter wrote, aligning with Newsom’s critique. Another person added, “I just spit my coffee out, bahahahaha,” amused by the barn analogy. A third chimed in, “I thought that’s what the ‘J’ stood for,” turning the insult into a viral joke. Supporters of the president pushed back just as quickly. “I guess there’s no buildings called Trump towers. Gavin Towers are called homeless encampment,” one user wrote, defending Trump’s real estate legacy while criticizing California’s housing crisis. Others were distracted by optics. “Why is he sitting like that?” another person asked, as screenshots of Newsom’s exaggerated leg cross circulated across timelines. Another asked, “Why does he cross his legs like that?” The Atlanta moment fits into a broader campaign of digital and rhetorical jabs that Newsom has launched over the past year. On New Year’s Eve, after reports revealed that Trump Mobile’s gold-colored phones — promoted as a symbol of “wireless independence” — would not ship until January 2026 despite customers paying deposits, Newsom responded with a succinct, “You don’t say,” alongside a news clip. The understated comment was widely interpreted as a quiet callback to other delayed initiatives. He has also criticized Trump’s $1,000 watch venture after some buyers claimed their timepieces were late or defective. And he has repeatedly questioned the ballooning price of the White House ballroom project — noting that the cost jumped from an initial estimate of $200 million to a projected $400 million while earlier assurances suggested the East Wing would remain intact. Newsom has framed that shift as emblematic of what he calls inflated promises and moving goalposts, contrasting early claims with the eventual demolition and the escalating price tag. Nicknames have become part of the strategy. Newsom’s official press office has referred to Trump as “Douzy Don,” while parody accounts inspired by his online persona have amplified even flashier monikers. One viral post declared, “DONALD (DOLLA MAKES ME HOLLA) TRUMP HAS MADE MORE $$$ FROM HIS PRESIDENCY THAN ALL OTHER PRESIDENTS COMBINED!” before contrasting that with Newsom’s framing of public service. The mix of viral trolling and high-profile speeches positions Newsom as a consistent counterweight to Trump’s spectacle and consistent snapping at his political foes. In Atlanta, he distilled that strategy into one cutting metaphor that traveled far beyond the room. The president may continue to measure success in square footage and nameplates, but Newsom is clearly intent on redefining the metric — and judging by the volume of reactions, the clash is no longer a sideshow. It’s a sustained, high-profile fight over image, power, and who really gets to claim the title of builder. ‘Bahahahaha I Just Spit My Coffee Out’: Newsom Slaps Trump With a Scorching New Nickname — Rips Into His Sneaky Renovation Agenda as Fans Erupt in Laughter ...read more read less