Trump slams Newsom for his 'inappropriate' deal with the UK as 2028 speculation grows

President Donald Trump questioned California Gov. Gavin Newsom's growing international projection after the Democrat signed a clean energy deal with the United Kingdom during a diplomatic tour of Europe.

Speaking to Politico, Trump called it "inappropriate" for foreign governments to establish alliances with a U.S. state leader and issued a direct warning to London. 

"The U.K.'s got enough trouble without getting involved with Gavin Newscum… it was inappropriate for them to be dealing with him," the president said.

The statement came after Newsom participated in the Munich Security Conference, where the governor signed commitments to cooperation with the U.K. and Ukraine's Lviv region, while sharply criticizing the Trump administration's foreign policy.

A governor aiming for 2028

Although Newsom has not confirmed a presidential bid, his international exposure is once again fueling speculation about an eventual run for the White House in 2028. For years, Democratic strategists have placed him among the best-positioned figures to lead the party in the next election cycle.

During the forum in Germany, the governor presented California as a "stable and reliable" alternative to the federal government and assured a global audience that the current Trump administration is "temporary" and "will be gone in three years."

The response from his camp was swift. A spokesperson defended Newsom's leadership and escalated the criticism against the president.

"Donald Trump is on his knees for coal and Big Oil, selling out America’s future to China… Governor Newsom will continue to lead in his absence. Foreign leaders are rejecting Trump and choosing California’s vision for the future," a Newsom spokesman told Fox News.

Newsom seeks to position himself on the international stage

One of the moments that generated the most controversy and attention was Newsom's assessment of the stance of some of Washington's allies towards the Republican president.

According to the California governor, foreign leaders who are "rolling over" to the White House are looking  "pathetic on the world stage."

The governor further doubled down on a taunt he had already launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos, saying he should have brought "a bunch of knee pads" for leaders who, according to him, have bowed to President Trump's "transactional" diplomacy.

The statements, which were delivered before European leaders and diplomats, demonstrate Newsom's clear intention to deepen his international image ahead of a potential run in the next elections in 2028, where he, according to polls, starts as favorite to take the Democratic nomination at a time of strong leadership crisis in the blue party.