President Donald Trump revealed on Monday he thinks it would be "great" if Border Czar Tom Homan arrested California Gov. Gavin Newsom following a weekend of anti-ICE protests that turned violent in Los Angeles.
While returning to the White House following an administration meeting at Camp David, the president was told Newsom is "daring Tom Homan to come and arrest him," then asked whether he should.
"I would do it if I were Tom. I think it's great," Trump replied. "Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing."
"He's done a terrible job," Trump continued. "Look, I like Gavin Newsom. He's a nice guy but he's grossly incompetent. Everybody knows."
The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 9, 2025
This is a day I hoped I would never see in America.
I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward… pic.twitter.com/tsTX1nrHAu
Trump then went off track. He stated Newsom's "little railroad he's building" is "100 times over budget," referencing the California high-speed rail project that was projected to be up and running by 2020 but has not yet begun, per AP News. He compared the project to his placing a flag pole at the White House, which he pointed out is "underbudget."
Newsom responded to Trump's statement on X, writing, "The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America."
"I don't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism," he continued.
The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 9, 2025
This is a day I hoped I would never see in America.
I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward… pic.twitter.com/tsTX1nrHAu
Homan initially threatened to arrest Newsom on Saturday after the California governor condemned the Trump administration's violent raids across the state. Homan stated that even high-ranking officials who "knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien. It's a felony to impede law enforcement doing their job."
In his response on MSNBC, Newsom told Homan to "just get it over with."
"He's a tough guy. Why doesn't he do that? He knows where to find me," the governor continued. "That kind of bloviating is exhausting. So, Tom, arrest me. Let's go."
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