California Governor Gavin Newsom has ignited fresh political backlash after posting a provocative meme on social media tied to proposed changes in US air pollution policy.
The governor, 58, shared a meme on his official X account on Monday, Jan. 12, appearing to taunt MAGA voters over reports that the Trump administration plans for environmental regulations. The post quickly gained traction online, accumulating more than 150,000 views and over 8,000 likes as users across the political spectrum weighed in on the message, as reported by OK! Magazine.
The AI-generated image shows a man dressed in an American-flag patterned outfit and wearing a 'Make America Great Again' hat, choking amid thick industrial fumes as factories loom in the background. A speech bubble reads: 'I voted for this'.
https://t.co/lLjNEFl1Q3 pic.twitter.com/rwrotVyCxt
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 13, 2026
Newsom paired the image with a repost of a New York Times article carrying the headline: 'Breaking News: The EPA will stop considering lives saved when setting pollution limits and instead only calculate the cost to businesses'.
The post quickly gained traction, drawing sharp reactions from both critics and supporters and adding fuel to an already heated national debate over environmental policy, public health and political accountability.
Newsom Targets Trump's Pollution Rollback
According to the New York Times, the EPA will no longer take lives saved into account when setting pollution limits; instead, it will only consider the cost to businesses. The shift was described in the article as a 'seismic change' in how the agency approaches its long-standing mission to protect both public health and the environment. The initiative is reportedly being driven by Trump appointee Lee Zeldin, 45.
Responding on social media, Zeldin wrote: 'Cute BS headline. Entirely untrue, but the NY Times won't ever let the truth get in the way of their desire to dumb down their readers. The [NYT] posted this ENTIRELY AWARE that EPA will continue considering lives saved when setting pollution limits'.
Newsom's post framed the policy change as a direct consequence of Trump's political support base, suggesting that voters who backed the former president would bear responsibility for the potential health impacts.
MAGA Supporters Push Back
The governor's message was met with immediate pushback from MAGA supporters, many of whom criticised both the tone and substance of the post. 'Despite your stupid f------ picture-yes I did vote for this,' one user wrote in response. Another added: 'Says the state that has smog worse than any other.'
Some critics accused Newsom of hypocrisy, pointing to California's own struggles with air quality, while others argued that the meme oversimplified a complex regulatory issue. However, not all reactions were hostile. Several users echoed Newsom's concerns, warning that weakening pollution standards could have serious consequences for public health across the US.
'Just more evidence, as if we needed any, that this administration doesn't give a s--- about us and is actively and deliberately making it more likely we will get sick & die,' one supporter commented. Another wrote: 'Just great. Now with less funding for cancer research America is going to have a tumor epidemic'.
