President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom’s ongoing political rivalry has reached new, meme-filled heights in the most recent chapter.

Trump shared an AI-generated video of Newsom wearing a red “Trump 2028” on September 4, 2025. More than 429,000 people viewed the video after it was posted on Trump’s X profile.

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The video featured the California governor jokingly asserting that he had received the “Trump 2028” hat in the mail.

It was a modified version of a clip in which Newsom talked about Trump’s potential 2028 presidential bid. “When I mentioned that I got a Trump 2028 hat in the mail, I wasn’t kidding. In the edited video, Newsom declares, “These guys are not screwing around.”

Trump vs Gavin Newsom meme fight

The AI-edited video was part of a continuing online exchange between Trump and Newsom, who have been using digital platforms and social media more and more to make their political rivalry public.

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What started out as a series of policy disputes and personal insults has now devolved into a full-scale meme war, with both leaders using AI -generated content to attack one another.

It has been a while since the duo has been on a meme spree. As he interacted with Trump’s most outspoken followers using the same strategies Trump created to establish his online persona, nicknames like “Taco Trump” and “Tiny Hands” started to appear in Newsom’s tweets.

Newsom responded to Trump’s criticisms on social media by pointing out the shortcomings of his administration and making fun of his nickname, “Taco Trump.” On important topics like immigration, environmental policy, and the president’s position on the pandemic, Newsom has not hesitated to take the president head-on.

Trump has also not backed out from giving befitting responses. One particularly notable video showed Newsom’s face digitally swapped with a man attempting to punch a punching bag labelled with Trump’s face, a playful but pointed commentary on Newsom’s inability to land a blow against the president.

In one video, Newsom is shown as a police officer cradling a helpless “baby Trump,” dropping the mock-child into a cage while the baby cries out in frustration. Another video portrays Newsom welcoming a “shorter Trump” to his office with the theme song from The Wizard of Oz, playing off Trump’s image and size.

Trump and Newsom’s professional relationship

Early in Newsom’s tenure as California’s governor, the two men shared a brief period of cooperation. During the 2018 California wildfires, both Newsom and former Governor Jerry Brown worked with Trump to secure federal aid for the state. Trump even praised Newsom, calling him “terrific” and saying they had a “very effective” working relationship.

However, as time went on, deep political differences began to surface. The two clashed repeatedly over issues such as California’s handling of wildfires, Trump’s immigration policies, and state versus federal authority.

Trump repeatedly criticised Newsom’s handling of California’s wildfires, blaming the governor for worsening disaster scenarios due to the state’s environmental policies.

Newsom, in turn, became a vocal critic of Trump’s immigration policies, his plans to build a border wall, and his environmental deregulation.

The feud took a more personal turn when Trump started calling Newsom “Newscum,” a derogatory nickname that was widely used among Trump supporters.

Newsom shot back with his own sharp criticism, leading to years of tense and often heated exchanges. As the rivalry deepened, it became clear that Newsom was positioning himself as a formidable opponent to Trump, potentially looking toward a 2028 presidential run.