After Trump Threatens To Arrest California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Relationship Between Leaders Hits New Low

by Riley GoldmanJune 18, 2025, 11:36 pmNews >

After President Donald Trump said last week that he supported arresting Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in the wake of continued protests in Los Angeles, the relationship between the two men has hit a new low.

“I’d do it if I were [border czar Tom Homan]. I think it’s great. Gavin likes the publicity,” Trump said about the possibility of arresting Newsom. “He’s done a terrible job. I like Gavin Newsom. He’s a nice guy, but he’s grossly incompetent, everybody knows.”

These comments followed a weekend of protests where civilians clashed with law enforcement. Some protesters became violent in response to Trump deploying the National Guard Sunday night. Law enforcement used tear gas, flash bangs and rubber bullets while protestors blocked a freeway and set fire to self-driving cars.

Homan first threw out the idea of arresting Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass if they interfere with immigration enforcement operations in the city.

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“I’ll say it about anybody,” Homan said. “You cross that line, it’s a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien. It’s a felony to impede law enforcement doing their job.”

Homan did not directly accuse a politician of crossing the line, but suggested it may happen soon. When asked about Bass directly, he did not think “she’s crossed the line yet.”

At a White House press conference, when Trump was asked what crime Newsom had committed, he could not name an actual crime. The only crime Trump named was “running for governor because he’s done such a bad job.”

Homan, later speaking with CBS, rephrased his comments, saying that the Trump administration has “no intention to arrest the governor right now” and that Trump’s remarks were “taken out of context.”

In response to Homan’s original comments, Newsom stood his ground and egged the border czar on.

“Come after me. Arrest me,” Newsom told NBC News. “Let’s just get it over with, tough guy.”

Newsom and Bass have continued to argue that Trump’s deployment of the National Guard was unnecessary and escalated the violence in the streets. But Homan and Trump continue to blame Newsom for an inadequate response to violent protests, and that sending guardsmen into L.A. was necessary.