California Governor Gavin Newsom has once again found himself at the center of a national political firestorm, this time for his increasingly flamboyant social media campaign targeting former President Donald Trump and his allies. Over the past week, Newsom’s press office has unleashed a torrent of all-caps posts on X (formerly Twitter), mimicking Trump’s notorious online persona—complete with insult-laden nicknames like “Tiny Hands” and “Low IQ,” and a steady stream of biting sarcasm. The governor’s approach, which includes the use of A.I.-generated memes and exaggerated boasts about his own achievements, has drawn both laughter and sharp criticism across the political spectrum.
The most talked-about moment came on Sunday morning, August 17, 2025, when Newsom posted an A.I.-generated image featuring Kid Rock, Tucker Carlson, and Hulk Hogan. The trio, depicted with angel wings and a halo, appeared to bless Newsom under the caption “so nice.” According to TMZ, the meme was a deliberate attempt to troll Trump and his supporters, who have often shared similarly styled memes in earnest support of the former president.
But the meme quickly backfired in some circles. Linda Hogan, ex-wife of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, was quick to clarify that the WWE star would never have supported Newsom. “It would be a cold day in hell for Hulk to be in Newsom’s corner—for anything,” Linda Hogan told TMZ. She added, “The fam never went along with liberal policies. As far as she’s concerned … no one likes Gavin!” Linda said she initially found the meme confusing and considered it “lame,” even if it was meant as an ironic jab at Trump’s supporters. Still, she emphasized she wasn’t upset—just keen to clear the air for any fans who might have been misled by the governor’s post. “Obviously, the WWE legend was a huge fan of Trump … and even gave a rallying speech at the RNC last year in support of DT’s reelection bid,” she noted.
Newsom’s trolling didn’t stop at memes. Throughout the week, his press office churned out a series of all-caps posts that closely mirrored Trump’s style. In one widely circulated post on August 15, the governor’s team responded to a photo of Trump scowling at Russian President Vladimir Putin by sharing their own photo of Newsom pointing at Trump earlier in the year. The caption read: “TINY HANDS IS OUT HERE COPYING ME — BUT WITHOUT THE STAMINA (SAD), AND CERTAINLY WITHOUT THE ‘LOOKS.’ TOTAL BETA! — GCN.” In another, Newsom’s team mocked Trump for allegedly fleeing the podium after a meeting with Putin: “TRUMP JUST FLED THE PODIUM WITH PUTIN — NO QUESTIONS, NOTHING! TOTAL LOW ENERGY. THE MAN LOOKED LIKE HE’D JUST EATEN 3 BUCKETS OF KFC WITH VLAD.”
These antics are tied directly into Newsom’s rollout of Democratic-drawn redistricting maps in California. Branding the maps as “perfect maps” and “the most incredible maps in the history of mapping,” Newsom positioned them as a direct counter to Texas Republicans’ efforts to redraw congressional districts in their favor. On August 15, the governor’s press office even joked that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for his redistricting work, posting: “MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING — AND I AGREE — THAT I, GAVIN C. NEWSOM (AMERICA’S FAVORITE GOVERNOR) DESERVE THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. PEACE THROUGH MAPS — NO ONE HAS EVER THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE.”
While some Democratic activists have found Newsom’s approach amusing, others—especially on the right—have not been so entertained. Fox News commentator Dana Perino was especially critical on August 18, calling Newsom’s online behavior “foolish” and unbecoming of a governor with national ambitions. “You have to stop it with the Twitter thing. I don’t know where his wife is, if I were his wife, I would say, ‘You are making a fool of yourself, stop it,’” Perino said on-air. “He’s got a big job as governor of California, but if he wants an even bigger job, he has to be a little bit more serious.”
Perino’s comments echoed the concerns of many conservative commentators who warn that Newsom’s trolling could ultimately backfire, especially as he’s widely seen as a potential contender for the 2028 presidential race. “Do not let your staff tweet – and if you’re doing it yourself, put the phone away,” Perino admonished, suggesting that the governor’s antics might be undermining his credibility on the national stage.
Newsom, for his part, has defended his strategy. In a press conference last week, the governor explained that his Trump-style trolling was intended as a wakeup call about the normalization of incendiary rhetoric from the highest office in the land. “I hope it’s a wakeup call. The President of the United States—I’m sort of following his example. And if you’ve got issues with what I’m putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns about what he’s putting out as president,” Newsom stated. He went on to say, “So to the extent it’s gotten some attention, I’m pleased. But I think the deeper question is: How have we allowed the normalization of his tweets, Truth Social posts over the course of the last many years to go without similar scrutiny and notice?”
The governor’s social media blitz began in earnest on Tuesday, August 13, with his staffers rolling out a succession of posts that adopted Trump’s bombastic cadence, liberal use of exclamation points, and penchant for self-aggrandizement. Newsom’s team even claimed credit for “ending rigged elections” and “making America great” through their redistricting efforts—a tongue-in-cheek nod to Trump’s own campaign slogans.
The timing of Newsom’s trolling coincided with major political developments. On August 18, Texas Democrats ended a two-week walkout that had temporarily stalled GOP efforts to pass new congressional maps. Republican leaders are now expected to move swiftly to lock in their advantage ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Newsom framed California’s maps as a direct response to these maneuvers, positioning himself as a foil to both Trump and Texas Republicans. The governor has also repeatedly clashed with Trump’s running mate, Vice President J.D. Vance, even mocking Vance’s Disneyland trip during federal immigration raids in California last month. Vance’s curt reply—“Had a great time, thanks”—only added fuel to the ongoing social media feud.
Not everyone is convinced by Newsom’s approach. While the posts have garnered significant attention online and among Democratic activists—former FBI Director James Comey reportedly found them amusing—critics argue that the strategy is risky for someone with White House ambitions. The debate over whether Newsom’s trolling is clever political theater or a sign of unseriousness is likely to continue as the 2028 presidential race draws closer.
For now, Newsom appears undeterred. His willingness to wade into the meme wars, even at the risk of confusing or alienating some voters—as the Hulk Hogan episode demonstrated—signals a new, more confrontational phase in his political brand. Whether this gambit pays off or backfires remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: in the age of social media, the line between politics and performance has never been blurrier.
