Newsom lashes out at Trump after DOJ ruling on Biden-protected land in California

California Governor Gavin Newsom lashed out at President Donald Trump following a Department of Justice (DOJ) memo that affirmed that Trump has the authority to revoke the national monument status of protected areas established by former President Joe Biden.

This ruling, which overrules a 1938 opinion by former Attorney General Homer Cummings, has led to tensions between Newsom and the Trump Administration, particularly over the Chuckwalla and Sattitla Highlands National Monuments in California, according to reports from The Washington Post.

The DOJ memo argues that presidents can "revoke national monument designations" if it is deemed that these areas never merited or no longer merit protection under the Antiquities Act of 1906.

This decision has reignited the debate over the balance between environmental conservation and economic development, as the Trump Administration argues that large tracts of protected federal lands limit future economic opportunities.

Newsom's response

Newsom, in response, called Trump's potential action "petty" and urged the Administration to "Grow up."

In addition, in a post on X, his office stated, “If it’s a day ending in Y, it’s another day of Trump’s war on California.”

The governor also referred to other Republican administration comments, including a jibe at X about an interview in which it was suggested that Newsom could be arrested for "working against ICE and their deportations." Newsom responded with sarcasm, proposing a fictitious "Promo code ARREST for 15% off your Trump Phone."

The White House responds

Separately, White House spokesman Harrison Fields defended the Trump administration's position, arguing that California's energy policies have been a "disaster" for the state, with energy shortages and high prices that he said have hurt Californians while benefiting Democratic donors.

Fields also asserted that freeing up federal lands for energy development is not "mean-spirited," but a decision that benefits the state, and criticized Newsom's "legacy of failure."