Asked if the lack of response could lead to the end of the European Union, Newsom said: “I don’t want to be hyperbolic, but this man is like a wrecking ball. This is a red alert. You continue to act like the rules still apply, but with him it’s the law of the jungle. He’s not crazy, he’s very determined, but he’s out of control and unbalanced.”
California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, has issued harsh criticism of US President Donald Trump and the stance of European leaders in the face of pressure from the White House. In a conversation with a limited group of journalists during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Newsom, considered a possible candidate for the 2028 presidential election, spoke out without gloves. “I don’t have to be diplomatic. Absolutely not. This is crazy,” he said, responding to questions about the international situation and in particular the US pressure on Greenland. Asked if he had a message for Europeans, Newsom spoke out firmly.
“Yes, it’s time to react. To take things seriously and stop being complicit. It’s time to stand up straight, have a backbone and be strong. I’ve seen this in the US, with a bent Congress that says one thing in private messages or on social media and another in public. We need principles. We need unity,” he said.
He called the behavior of some world leaders “pathetic,” mockingly. “I would have to bring a sack of knees to world leaders at Davos. Handing out titles, honors and Nobel Prizes as gifts is ridiculous. From an American perspective, it’s just shameful,” the governor said. According to Newsom, Europeans have been manipulated by Trump. “This guy is taking them for fools. It’s shameful,” he said, adding that continuing the same approach would have serious consequences. “Diplomacy with Trump? He’s a T-Rex. You either join him or he swallows you. There’s no middle ground,” the California governor declared, warning that Europe is in serious danger if it doesn’t change course.
Asked if the lack of response could lead to the end of the European Union, Newsom said: “I don’t want to be hyperbolic, but this man is like a wrecking ball. This is a red alert. You continue to act like the rules still apply, but with him it’s the law of the jungle. He’s not crazy, he’s very determined, but he’s out of control and unbalanced.”
Newsom described Trump as a narcissist who aims for “a world in his image,” sharply criticizing leaders who, according to him, criticize him privately but coddle him publicly. “This is not diplomacy, this is stupidity,” he said. Finally, asked whether Trump might seek a military solution for Greenland, Newsom replied that no one can know. He cited examples from American domestic politics, talking about militarization and the increase in security forces, and closed with a direct appeal. “Wake up. Stop this hypocritical diplomacy. Don’t say one thing in private and another in public. Have a little backbone,” he said.