Key Takeaways:
- California Governor Gavin Newsom was denied entry into a scheduled appearance at USA House in Davos, despite being invited to speak at the World Economic Forum.
- The decision was reportedly made due to pressure from the Trump administration, specifically the U.S. Department of State.
- Newsom has been using his platform to criticize President Donald Trump and his administration, calling his speech at the World Economic Forum "remarkably boring" and "remarkably insignificant".
- The incident is the latest chapter in a years-long and theatrical rivalry between Newsom and Trump.
- Newsom has been using a "mirror strategy" to counter Trump’s online presence, adopting his bombastic style and humor to mock and counter the Trump political machine.
Introduction to the Incident
The incident involving California Governor Gavin Newsom and his denied entry into a scheduled appearance at USA House in Davos has sparked a lot of attention and controversy. According to messages obtained by Politico, USA House organizers told Newsom’s team that pressure from the Trump administration, and specifically the U.S. Department of State, led to his removal from the program. This decision was made despite Newsom being invited to speak at the World Economic Forum, and his conversation had been listed on the public schedule until Monday evening. Newsom’s office was told that the decision was a "venue decision" to avoid "including an elected U.S. official" in the lineup, but neither the venue nor the White House has publicly explained the reversal.
The USA House in Davos
The USA House in Davos is a privately organized pavilion that operates alongside the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. Although it is not part of the WEF’s official program, USA House has historically been recognized by the U.S. government as its headquarters in Davos, serving as a central hub for American business, policy, and diplomatic events during the forum. The venue typically hosts public conversations with U.S. CEOs, governors, and policymakers, bilateral meetings and networking events, panels on U.S. economic, tech, and climate priorities, and media interviews and briefings. Because it functions as a high-profile gathering point for American delegations, programming at USA House often carries significant political weight, making Newsom’s removal from the schedule particularly notable and, according to his office, unusually political.
Newsom’s Criticism of Trump
Newsom has been using his platform to criticize President Donald Trump and his administration, calling his speech at the World Economic Forum "remarkably boring" and "remarkably insignificant". In a post-speech interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Newsom dismissed Trump’s address as containing nothing new for American audiences and waved off Trump’s revived push for the U.S. to acquire Greenland as an unserious gesture. Newsom also commented on the business community’s reaction inside the hall, saying it reflected "deep anxiety". Other governors, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, also delivered their own criticism of Trump’s speech, with Beshear calling it "dangerous", "disrespectful", and "unhinged".
History of Newsom and Trump Confrontations
The confrontation at Davos is the latest chapter in a years-long and unusually theatrical rivalry between Newsom and Trump. Newsom has fashioned himself as one of Trump’s most relentless online antagonists, adopting the president’s bombastic cadence, all-caps punchlines, and meme-driven style to mock and counter the Trump political machine. Trump, for his part, has alternated between framing Newsom as a once-friendly figure and a political opportunist, while frequently using the California governor as a foil in speeches about crime, immigration, and Democratic leadership. Their exchanges have produced some of the most viral political content of the last two election cycles, and this week’s Davos drama offered a new split-screen moment for the ongoing feud.
The "Mirror Strategy"
Newsom has been using a "mirror strategy" to counter Trump’s online presence, adopting his bombastic style and humor to mock and counter the Trump political machine. Newsom has described this strategy as an intentional pivot after more traditional messaging failed to break through. By using humor and mirroring Trump’s style, Newsom has been able to effectively counter the president’s online presence and gain attention for his own message. This strategy has been successful in producing viral content and gaining attention for Newsom, but it remains to be seen whether it will be effective in the long term. Regardless, the rivalry between Newsom and Trump continues to be a significant aspect of the political landscape, with both sides showing no signs of backing down.
