California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that all individuals—regardless of being a Democrat or Republican—ought to be “disgusted by the President of the United States’ actions.”
The Democratic leader made this comment while addressing the “racist trope” that President Donald Trump posted to his social media account last week. The now-deleted post included what seemed to be an AI-created video portraying former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. It was part of a screen recording centered on a voter fraud conspiracy theory related to the 2020 presidential election.
“It’s disgraceful. It’s racist. It’s abhorrent,” Newsom stated during a late Tuesday press conference. “The President of the United States sharing a racist trope should repel every person in this room. Everyone—no matter if you watched Kid Rock or Bad Bunny this [Super Bowl] weekend.”
Newsom further criticized the White House and Trump’s handling of the incident, after both parties blamed an unnamed staffer for posting the video. The President stated he had directed a staffer to share the clip but claimed he had not viewed the offensive content. He also declined to apologize, asserting he “didn’t make a mistake.”
“In any other scenario, that individual would be terminated—board members would demand their firing, they’d feel ashamed and humiliated, and they’d apologize. He did none of those things,” Newsom remarked, noting that public discussion shifted away from the controversy too rapidly.
“I can’t believe that was brushed aside by just another news cycle. How on earth is he allowed to escape accountability for that?”
Newsom also accused Trump’s inner circle of justifying his actions, specifically alleging that House Speaker Mike Johnson had “endorsed that racial video.” When asked last week if Trump owed the Obamas an apology, Johnson informed a reporter that the President had been unaware of the offensive content prior to its posting.
TIME has contacted the White House to request a comment.
Shortly before Newsom’s Tuesday remarks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether the White House had a “social media issue.”
The question was raised in connection with both the racist trope video and a recent post on the Vice President’s account that referenced the “Armenian genocide.” The now-deleted message prompted questions because the U.S. government does not use that term to describe the events of the early 20th century.
Leavitt stated the White House does not have a social media problem but declined to provide additional comment on the video depicting the Obamas.
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott—the only Black Republican in the Senate—previously labeled the video as “the most racist thing I’ve seen from this White House.”
Newsom has long criticized Trump’s social media rhetoric and has even begun using the President’s speech patterns in his own online posts.
Ahead of Bad Bunny’s Sunday Super Bowl performance, Newsom designated Super Bowl Sunday as “Bad Bunny Day” in California. He made the announcement in a post that seemed to mock Trump’s social media style and imitated how the President has previously pronounced “Puerto Rico.” Trump, in turn, was part of a group of conservatives who instead supported Turning Point USA’s alternative to the Super Bowl halftime show—headlined by Kid Rock.
When asked last year about his updated social media strategy and his choice to replicate the MAGA playbook in some of his content, Newsom told reporters: “I hope this serves as a wake-up call to the President of the United States—following his example. If you have problems with what I’m posting, you definitely should be concerned about what he’s posting as President. To the degree it’s received attention, I’m glad.”