Dispute over migration policy: Trump against Newsom – Power test in California

Gavin Newsom is combative. “Justice me. Let it get behind us … … I don’t care,” says the governor of the US state defiantly into the camera. Previously, Tom Homan – the man who is supposed to enforce the deportation policy of US President Donald Trump – had threatened to arrest. “We have to keep against it,” says newsoma – towards Washington and very clearly: towards Trump. The Republican had demonstrated his power at the weekend and ordered the use of the National Guard against the declared will of newsoma in California.

The trigger for Trump’s drastic step was protests against officials from the US immigration authority ICE in Los Angeles. For the Republican, the demonstrations against his deportation policy are an opportunity to present himself as a strong and relentless man in the White House. But they are also an opportunity for a special duel: Trump against Newsom. Because the Democrat is a kind of favorite enemy of the US president. And it is an open secret that the 57-year-old looks at Democrats’ presidential candidacy in 2028.

Newsom stands for everything that Trump does not stand for. The Liberal Democrat with the backward-geared hair was mayor of the west coast metropolis of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. He was born there too. He caused a stir nationwide when he gave the green light to marry as a mayor in a spectacular decision. At that time this was not allowed in California. In 2019, the ambitious newsoma governor of the state, who is considered to be deeply progressive politically. He was re -elected in 2022. His term ends in January 2027 – he cannot start again.

When the then US President Joe Biden retired from the race for the White House last summer, Newsom was immediately brought into play as a possible replacement candidate for the Democrats. Finally he took the loser compared to the U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris. However, he is also one of the most prominent representatives of his party at the federal level. The charismatic politician was once married to Kimberly Guilfoyle, now the ex-fermentation of Trump’s son Don Jr. and designed US ambassador in Greece. In 2004 both posed for the magazine “Harper’s Bazaar” – the title of history: “The new Kennedys”.

Trumps and Newsoms are not new

Trump repeatedly talks verbally against Newsom – calls him “Newscum” – a pun with the English term “scum”, which means “scum” in German. Even during the Corona pandemic, the two got together. In contrast to Trump, Newsom was a supporter of strict measures – the two had little positive things to say in the course of the pandemic. During the devastating fires in Los Angeles at the beginning of the year, Trump Newsom made serious allegations. The Democrat tried to relax the situation. When Trump traveled to California, Newsom picked him up at the airport. At least for a short time, Trump tamed his tone compared to the liberal governor.

Now the policy approaches of the two are completely over. While Trump relies on a maximum hard course in migration policy, newsoma represents a different approach. California has been a so -called Sanctuary State since 2017 – a kind of protective state for migrants. In such states – in addition to California there are others – special laws apply that particularly protect people without regular residence status in the United States and give them access to certain public services.

Newsom: Trump donates “chaos and violence”

Trump aggressively opposes these protection states and tries to withdraw funding from the federal government. Even if Newsom acted more reserved in the expansion of protection and also brought cuts in health care for migrants without papers, he defends the basic concept of the protective state – especially in the conflict with Trump and its government. The Democrat accuses Trump of wanting to stir up “Chaos and Violence” with the use of the national guard. Trump, on the other hand, claims that Newsom would do a “terrible job” in California.

The open argument with Trump is an opportunity for Newsom to further profile itself – as an experienced opponent of the US President. In fact, Newsom was finally trying to free himself from his reputation as a flagship-liberal. In his new podcast, Newsom said a few weeks ago that he thinks it is unfair when trans women compete in women’s sports. He broke with a position of the Democrats. The selection of guests in the podcast was also remarkable. Among them was the ultra -right publicist Steve Bannon, with whom newsoma chatted friendly.

Everything is still open to the Democrats

It is questionable whether Newsom could gather more moderate Republicans with this strategy, should he actually go into the race for the White House in 2028. Under possible candidates for the presidential candidacy, Democrats are considered to be significantly more moderate – and therefore also more capable of majority. These include Josh Shapiro, Governor of the Pennsylvania change voter state, or Andy Beshear, who is at the head of the conservative state of Kentucky.

However, the headlines were safe with its repositioning. And the open dispute over the use of the national guard with Trump once again puts him into the national spotlight.