Newsom Says World Leaders Keep Asking Him What Is Going On in America

California Governor Gavin Newsom says world leaders keep asking him what is happening in the United States, and he is making sure everyone at home hears his answer.

Newsom posted on X this week: "World leaders keep asking me: What the hell is going on in America? I'm telling them Trump is trying to tear down our democracy, but the American people WON'T let him!"

The post came while Newsom was in New York during the United Nations General Assembly, the one week of the year when nearly every head of state gathers in the same city. On September 23 he met with world and business leaders on the sidelines, focused on climate and clean energy. He signed a new clean energy agreement with the prime minister of Spain, announced progress on linking California's carbon market with Washington state's, and named an expert group to recommend rules for artificial intelligence in California. He also met with mayors dealing with the effects of extreme weather.

Newsom also went after President Trump's climate policies. "He's doubling down on stupid, and he's putting the American economy at risk," he said. "California is not going to sit back and watch this guy roll back the last half century."

This is not the first time Newsom has taken his fight with the President overseas. Earlier this year he told international audiences that the current administration was temporary, and he has criticized foreign leaders for giving in to the White House, saying they made themselves look weak on the world stage. President Trump has in turn blasted California's side agreements with other countries and warned foreign governments against making deals with the state.

Supporters of the President say Newsom is using a global stage to campaign for 2028, and that a governor has no business speaking for America to foreign leaders. Foreign policy, they argue, is set in Washington by the elected President, and a state official criticizing him abroad sends a divided message to allies and rivals alike. They also point to California's own record on cost of living, gas prices and homelessness, and argue the governor should focus there first.

His supporters see it differently. States have signed trade and climate agreements for decades, and California's economy is larger than that of most countries. They say he is protecting California businesses and jobs that depend on those relationships.

The timing matters. Newsom is term limited and leaves office in January 2027, and he is widely seen as preparing a presidential run. He has built a national following by answering the President directly, often in the same sharp style, and posts like this one show the message he plans to carry into the next campaign.

Whether voters see it as leadership or as a campaign stunt will likely shape how far that message goes.

Should governors be meeting with world leaders on their own? YES OR NO?