California Governor Gavin Newsom has reignited his ongoing feud with the Trump administration by posting a viral video that shows Vice President JD Vance’s complete transformation from Trump critic to loyal supporter. The post, shared on September 2, 2025, features a compilation of old clips where Vance harshly criticized Donald Trump between 2016 and 2017.
The video was originally shared by “Republicans against Trump” before Newsom reshared it with his own pointed commentary. The compilation shows various interviews and appearances where Vance called Trump “noxious,” a “fraud,” and said he was “leading the white working class to a very dark place.” In one clip from 2016, Vance even declared himself a “Never Trump guy” and admitted he “never liked him.”
Newsom’s caption for the video read: “Grew a beard and lost his spine. But at least he kept the eyeliner.” Vance has indeed grown a beard since his earlier clean-shaven appearances in 2016, and his political positions have shifted dramatically from his previous “Never Trump” stance to becoming Trump’s Vice President after winning the 2024 election.
The transformation of JD Vance from critic to supporter
The video compilation reveals the extent of Vance’s past criticism of Trump. In various interviews from 2016, Vance called Trump “reprehensible” and suggested he might vote for Hillary Clinton instead. He also wrote in private messages that he went “back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical asshole like Nixon who wouldn’t be that bad or that he’s America’s Hitler.”
Vance later apologized for these comments during his 2022 Senate campaign, saying he was “wrong about the guy” and that Trump “was a good president.” Trump endorsed Vance for his Senate run, helping him win the race by 6 percentage points. In 2024, Trump selected Vance as his running mate, making him Vice President after their election victory.
Grew a beard and lost his spine.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 2, 2025
But at least he kept the eyeliner. https://t.co/WM5fCpKeZb
The transformation has been particularly striking given Vance’s earlier positions. In 2016, he told NPR that he “can’t stomach Trump” and described him as “noxious.” He also wrote in The Atlantic that Trump was like “cultural heroin” for struggling communities and compared his promises to “the needle in America’s collective vein.” Today, Vance serves as one of Trump’s most vocal defenders and has taken on a key role in foreign policy decisions, including controversial positions on Ukraine and NATO.
The “eyeliner” reference in Newsom’s tweet has been a recurring joke about Vance’s appearance. Social media users have long speculated about whether the Vice President wears makeup, though Vance has never confirmed or denied these claims. His wife Usha and others have dismissed the speculation, but it continues to be a source of online commentary.
This latest attack from Newsom comes as part of his broader strategy of trolling Trump and his administration using their own tactics. The California governor has adopted Trump’s social media style, including writing in all capital letters and using derogatory nicknames. He has dubbed Vance “Just Dance Vance” and frequently mocks both the President and Vice President online.
The feud between Newsom and the Trump administration has escalated significantly over the past year. It intensified after Trump sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles without Newsom’s permission, leading the governor to file a lawsuit against the administration. Since then, Newsom has become one of the most prominent Democratic critics of Trump’s second term, using social media to challenge the administration’s policies and decisions.
Newsom, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has positioned himself as a leading voice of opposition to Trump. His viral posts often receive millions of views and have helped establish him as a key figure in the Democratic Party’s resistance to the current administration. The latest video about Vance’s transformation is just the newest chapter in what appears to be an ongoing political battle that shows no signs of slowing down.
