California Governor Gavin Newsom has never shied away from a political fight, but this August, he took his battle with MAGA Republicans—and especially Vice President JD Vance—to a new level. In a series of viral posts on X (formerly Twitter), Newsom adopted the brash, mocking style that has become synonymous with Donald Trump, complete with ALL CAPS proclamations, over-the-top boasts, and biting nicknames. The most attention-grabbing jab? Newsom’s new moniker for Vance: "Just Dance Vance."
The nickname, which Newsom’s press office rolled out in an all-caps, Trumpian screed, was more than just a dig at Vance’s persona. It was a pointed swipe at Republican efforts, spearheaded by Trump and Vance, to redraw electoral maps in states like Texas and Indiana—a move critics say is a blatant power grab ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. According to Newsweek, Newsom’s post declared, "NOT EVEN JD ‘JUST DANCE’ VANCE CAN SAVE TRUMP FROM THE DISASTROUS MAPS ‘WAR’ HE HAS STARTED. NOT EVEN HIS EYELINER LINES LOOK AS PRETTY AS CALIFORNIA ‘MAP’ LINES. HE WILL FAIL, AS HE ALWAYS DOES (SAD!) AND I, THE PEACETIME GOVERNOR — OUR NATION’S FAVORITE — WILL SAVE AMERICA ONCE…"
This trolling wasn’t a one-off. Newsom’s press office has, in recent weeks, transformed from a platform for policy announcements into a stage for political theater. The governor has gone so far as to parody Trump’s own tactics, even dubbing the former president "Taco Trump"—short for "Trump Always Chickens Out." These posts are deliberately performative, designed to flip the script on MAGA’s signature ridicule. As Newsweek noted, Newsom’s approach is a calculated effort to deny Trump the monopoly on mockery, meeting MAGA figures on their own cultural battlefield.
It’s a strategy that stands in stark contrast to the traditional Democratic playbook. Take, for example, Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, which leaned on biography and policy proposals but steered clear of spectacle. When Trump mocked Harris as "Laffin’ Kamala," she chose not to engage, relying instead on fact-checkers and surrogates. Newsom, by contrast, relishes the chaos. He’s betting that in today’s meme-driven political climate, attention is currency, and ridicule can be as powerful as policy.
The feud between Newsom and Vance has played out not just in words, but in images and memes. In one viral moment, Newsom’s team posted a video of Vance running awkwardly at Disneyland, captioned "Go get 'em JD!" The video, which Vance later explained on "The Katie Miller Podcast" was just him playing a game called "Ogre" with his children, quickly became fodder for further ridicule. Newsom’s aides even went so far as to superimpose Vance’s face onto that of a breakdancer, branding him "J.D. Dance" in a post dripping with sarcasm.
But the trolling has a serious undercurrent. At its heart is the ongoing battle over redistricting—a fight with real consequences for the balance of power in Congress. Trump and his allies are urging Republican-led states to redraw their districts in ways that could give the GOP a significant advantage in the 2026 midterms. Newsom, for his part, has vowed that California will not stand idly by. He’s promised to redraw California’s own map in response if necessary, aiming to neutralize the GOP’s efforts and preserve the status quo until at least 2026. "If Republican states go through with their plans, he is ready to change California's map in response. He says that would stop the GOP from doing anything and keep the balance of power the same until 2026," reported The Economic Times.
The White House, meanwhile, has not taken the bait. Abigail Jackson, a spokesperson, dismissed Newsom’s trolling as "creepy" and insisted that Trump’s team isn’t worried. "Copying someone is the best way to show you like them, but Newsom’s obsession is getting a little strange. Gavin will never be ready for the big time," Jackson quipped, according to Newsweek.
Newsom, undeterred, doubled down on his tactics. When pressed by reporters about his posts, he shot back, "I’m just following his example. If you have issues with what I’m putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns with what he’s putting out as president." His message: if Trump’s style is fair game for the White House, it’s fair game for the governor of California.
This culture war isn’t just about redistricting or social media spats; it’s about who controls the political narrative in America. MAGA, once the master of ridicule, is suddenly on the receiving end. As Newsweek observed, "MAGA has always thrived on ridicule… Newsom’s innovation was to flip the script. Instead of rolling his eyes or fact-checking, he mocked them back."
The personal subplot adds extra spice: Newsom’s ex-wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle, is now a prominent MAGA voice and U.S. Ambassador to Greece. Their split, once amicable, now serves as a footnote in the ongoing feud between Newsom and the Trump camp.
Within the Democratic Party, reactions are mixed. Some moderates worry that Newsom’s approach undermines the seriousness of their brand, while progressives fear it trivializes crucial policy battles. Yet among the base, there’s a palpable sense of relief. After years of watching Trump define his opponents with nicknames, Democrats finally have a leader willing to punch back in kind.
Newsom’s willingness to engage with his adversaries isn’t limited to trolling. His podcast, "This Is Gavin Newsom," has featured right-wing guests like Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon. The message is clear: he’s not afraid to argue with MAGA figures on their own turf, a move that both horrifies and energizes different factions of his party.
As Newsom’s term as governor winds down—he’s set to leave office in 2026—speculation is mounting about his national ambitions. With President Biden retired and Vice President Harris politically damaged, many see Newsom as a leading contender for the Democratic nomination in 2028. Whether his meme-driven strategy will translate into electoral success remains to be seen.
For now, the battle lines are drawn. The "troll war" between Newsom and MAGA figures like Vance is ongoing, and the outcome could shape not just the 2026 midterms, but the very tone of American politics in the years ahead. In the age of memes and mockery, Gavin Newsom is betting that the best way to beat Trump is to fight fire with fire—and, perhaps, dance a little along the way.
As the dust settles on this latest round of political theater, one thing is clear: MAGA may have invented the game of ridicule, but Gavin Newsom is proving he can play it just as well, if not better.
