California marked a major milestone this week, celebrating its 175th anniversary of statehood with both pride and political tension. On September 9, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom delivered his annual State of the State address—though not in the traditional fashion. Instead of a grand speech before the legislature, Newsom opted for a written letter and a pre-recorded video, a move that’s become his hallmark in recent years and one that’s drawn the ire of his Republican critics.
In these messages, Newsom painted a vivid portrait of California as a land of opportunity and innovation, but also as a state under siege. According to Politico, the governor used the occasion not just to highlight achievements, but to take aim at what he called the Trump administration’s “relentless, unhinged California obsession.” The timing was pointed: California has found itself in the crosshairs of federal policies on everything from wildfires to immigration, and Newsom wasn’t shy about saying so.
“As I write to you, California is menaced by a federal administration that dismantles public services, punishes allies across the globe, and sweeps the rule of law into the gutter,” Newsom declared in his letter to the state legislature, as reported by The Guardian. He accused the federal government of rolling back decades of progress on environmental issues, sending the military into California’s cities, and using economic threats to bully the state’s businesses and public institutions.
The video version of Newsom’s address drove the point home with news footage: federal officers streaming through a Los Angeles park, a scene from earlier in the year when President Trump deployed National Guard troops and active-duty Marines to quell protests against immigration raids. Those raids, which swept up not only undocumented immigrants but also US citizens and documented residents, sparked mass protests across Los Angeles. In the video, Newsom’s voiceover set the tone: “There’s reason to be optimistic on this anniversary. So many people are asserting their moral authority and raising their voices to stand up for the ideals this country was built on.”
But the optimism was tempered by a sense of ongoing battle. “We are now nine months into a battle to protect the values we hold most dear and to preserve the economic and social foundation we built for California,” Newsom wrote. He didn’t mince words about the federal government, describing it as “built on incompetence and malicious ignorance, one that seeks the death of independent thinking.”
This ongoing standoff isn’t just rhetorical. California has actively pushed back against the Trump administration, filing 41 lawsuits over various federal actions. According to The Associated Press, the state legislature earlier this year authorized $50 million for the Department of Justice and other legal groups to defend California’s progressive policies. The state is also fighting federal funding cuts to its long-delayed high-speed rail project, legal challenges to its pioneering law allowing transgender girls to compete on girls’ sports teams, and the Trump administration’s suspension of funding to UCLA over allegations of civil rights violations related to antisemitism and affirmative action.
Newsom’s letter and video also highlighted California’s resilience in the face of adversity. He pointed to the state’s quick recovery after the devastating wildfires that tore through Los Angeles earlier this year. He lauded advances in technology, green energy, and education, noting that California’s economy exceeds $4.1 trillion—making it one of the largest in the world. He also spotlighted the state’s massive volunteer force of tens of thousands of young people, and a tax-credit program aimed at revitalizing Hollywood’s film industry.
Yet, not everyone was celebrating. Republican lawmakers were quick to pounce on Newsom’s approach, accusing him of focusing more on national politics and his own future than on the pressing problems facing Californians. James Gallagher, the Republican leader of the state assembly, released his own video response, charging Newsom with neglecting his duties. “Stop refusing to show up and actually do the work of being a governor,” Gallagher said, as cited by The Associated Press. He pointed to the state’s persistent budget deficits, homelessness crisis, and soaring cost of living as issues that demand immediate attention.
Republicans also took issue with Newsom’s push for a new congressional map designed to help Democrats win more seats in the US House before the 2026 midterms. According to The Guardian, California’s move is intended to counter a similar effort by Republicans in Texas, which was reportedly encouraged by Trump himself. Gallagher and other GOP leaders argue that such maneuvers are more about partisan advantage than good governance.
The debate over the State of the State address itself became a flashpoint. Newsom’s decision to forgo the traditional in-person speech in favor of a letter and video is a break from decades of practice. Republican lawmakers have criticized this as a lack of transparency and leadership, suggesting that the governor is more interested in building his national profile—possibly for a 2028 presidential run—than in engaging directly with the legislature and the people of California.
Meanwhile, Newsom’s defenders say the unconventional format allowed him to reach a broader audience and focus attention on the issues he deems most urgent. In an appearance on “Inside the Issues,” Politico’s senior political reporter Melanie Mason discussed the themes of the address and the sharp GOP response, noting that the governor’s message was as much about resistance as it was about celebration.
The sense of California as a battleground—both politically and literally—was underscored by the episode’s second segment, which featured UCLA political science professor Benjamin Radd discussing the global reverberations of recent events, including the Israeli attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar. While not directly related to the State of the State, the discussion served as a reminder that California’s challenges and its responses often have national and even international implications.
As California enters its 176th year, the state finds itself at a crossroads: proud of its history and accomplishments, but locked in a high-stakes contest over its future direction. Whether Newsom’s vision of a resilient, progressive California will prevail—or whether critics’ warnings about neglect and overreach will resonate more deeply with voters—remains an open question. But one thing is clear: on its 175th birthday, the Golden State is as fiercely contested and consequential as ever.
