President Donald Trump said Monday he supports the idea of arresting California Governor Gavin Newsom, saying it would be “a great thing” amid growing tension over immigration protests in Los Angeles.
“I would do it if I were Tom,” Trump said, referring to his border czar Tom Homan. “I think it’s great. Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing.”
“Look, I like Gavin Newsom. He’s a nice guy. But he’s grossly incompetent,” Trump added.
His comments came after Newsom dared the federal government to arrest him during a fiery interview on MSNBC.
“Come after me, arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy, you know? I don’t give a damn. But I care about my community. I care about this community,” Newsom said on Sunday.
The back-and-forth comes as protests erupt in Los Angeles over recent immigration raids. The demonstrations have turned violent, with images of burning cars and clashes with police spreading online. Trump blamed “professional agitators,” saying, “They’re insurrectionists. They’re bad people. They should be in jail.”
In response to the unrest, the White House sent in the National Guard—without approval from Newsom, who called the move an overreach. He said California will sue.
Trump didn’t hold back on the possibility of arresting local leaders who stand in the way of federal immigration enforcement. Homan has echoed that threat before. Now, Trump is putting his weight behind it.
Newsom fired back immediately on social media: “The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America,” he posted on X. “I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.”
The standoff between Trump and Newsom is only heating up—with legal threats, military deployments, and the president now saying it’s time to put a sitting governor behind bars.
Check the clip below from NBC News.
