Gavin Newsom unloaded on Donald Trump and sounded the alarm about the future of U.S. democracy during a sharp-edged appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Tuesday (September 23), warning that the 2028 presidential election might not even take place if Americans don’t act.
“I fear that we will not have an election in 2028,” Newsom told Colbert, his voice steady but urgent. “I really mean that in the core of my soul – unless we wake up to the code red of what’s happening in this country.”
The California governor didn’t hold back, calling Trump a “son of a b####” while defending his state’s 41 lawsuits against the former president’s administration.
“What people appreciate is that we’re willing to fight and not only fight symbolically by having a little bit of fun but fight substantively,” he added. “We have 41 lawsuits against this son of a b####. We’re pushing back and we’re winning and we’re filling a void on a lot of issues.”
Newsom pointed to Trump’s 2020 decision to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 active-duty Marines to Los Angeles during anti-ICE protests as a red flag. “He sent the military to American cities to police American citizens, and the ICE issue is alarming beyond words,” he said. “It is the largest private domestic army of its type or police force anywhere in the world. He’ll have 30,000 people that increasingly appear to be swearing an oath of office to him, not the Constitution of the United States.”
He also described a disturbing incident involving a 15-year-old disabled student in Los Angeles. “They pulled out guns on this kid. They pulled out guns and handcuffed this young child,” Newsom said. “Masked men jumping out of unmarked cars. People disappearing. No due process. No oversight. Zero accountability.”
The 57-year-old Democrat has long positioned himself as one of Trump’s most aggressive political adversaries. His state, often labeled the “resistance” during Trump’s first term, has led the charge against federal policies on immigration, climate change and healthcare.
“This guy is flooding the zone, he is dominating the narratives, facts don’t seem to matter, and Democrats, frankly, have had a difficult time pushing back,” Newsom admitted.
He also criticized Trump’s global leadership, saying the former president abandoned “leadership and moral authority around the rest of the world.”
Newsom’s combative approach has boosted his national visibility. According to CalMatters, he’s viewed as a top Democratic contender for 2028, though his aggressive tone has stirred debate within his own party.
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