Additional Coverage:
- Gavin Newsom trolls JD Vance with edited video depicting him as cartoon character amid govt shutdown (themirror.com)
Governor Newsom Takes Social Media Jabs at Trump Administration, Igniting Online Debates
California Governor Gavin Newsom has once again utilized social media to deliver pointed critiques of the Trump administration, sparking widespread online discussion and drawing both applause and accusations of hypocrisy.
His latest target was JD Vance, featured in a mocking video shared by Newsom. The clip depicted Vance with his face painted yellow, adorned with white glasses and overalls, bearing a striking resemblance to a Minion character from the “Despicable Me” series.
“PSA from JD,” Newsom captioned the post.
The original footage stemmed from a Fox News segment where Vance discussed the ramifications of the federal government shutdown. However, in Newsom’s version, Vance’s voice was manipulated to sound notably higher-pitched, mimicking the distinctive voices of the Minions.
In the altered audio, Vance can be heard stating, “If you’re flying today, I hope, of course, you arrive safely and on time. But you may not arrive on time because the TSA and the air-traffic controllers are not getting paid today.”
The video quickly circulated, leading to an influx of edited images of Vance across social media, some fully transforming him into a Minion, while others used AI to place him in various humorous scenarios.
However, the post also drew sharp criticism, with some users accusing Newsom of “hypocrisy.” These critics referenced a tweet from the California governor last year, where he stated, “Manipulating a voice in an ‘ad’ like this one should be illegal,” in response to an AI-altered Kamala Harris “campaign ad.”
Newsom had also added at the time, “I’ll be signing a bill in a matter of weeks to make sure it is.” Conversely, other users argued there was a clear distinction between a campaign advertisement and a “satire” post.
Internet Feud Continues
This Minion-themed video follows an earlier online broadside from Newsom, who drew parallels between former President Donald Trump and Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France during the French Revolution.
“TRUMP ‘MARIE ANTOINETTE’ SAYS, ‘NO HEALTH CARE FOR YOU PEASANTS, BUT A BALLROOM FOR THE QUEEN!'” read Newsom’s tweet, referencing the former president’s decision to proceed with ballroom construction during the government shutdown. The post featured an AI-created image of Trump dressed in an 18th-century gown and powdered wig, an image that subsequently became the profile picture for the official Governor Newsom Press Office account on a popular social media platform.
Similar to the Vance post, the comments section under Newsom’s Trump meme was flooded with doctored images mocking the former president, with several users even urging Newsom to print the photo on shirts and market it as official merchandise.
These social media exchanges occurred against the backdrop of a federal government shutdown that commenced on October 1, after a critical agreement to maintain government operations could not be reached before the deadline. While numerous federal offices faced closures, work on Trump’s White House ballroom reportedly continued without interruption. The project involves constructing a 90,000-square-foot, $200 million East Wing expansion to the White House.
A White House official confirmed at the time, “There will not be a stoppage of ballroom work when the shutdown occurs,” clarifying that the ballroom’s construction is funded by private donations, not tied to a specific federal appropriation.