California Gov. Gavin Newsom Calls Trump’s Threats To Arrest Him ‘Authoritarian’

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s unilateral deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to unrest over raids by ICE, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) called out Trump’s threats against him and other Democrats as “authoritarian” actions.

“It’s just an extraordinary moment, and I don’t want to overstate it, but these are the words of an authoritarian,” Newsom said in a Monday interview with Politico. “Whether he acts on it or not, the chill that creates is real, and it’s a serious moment, severe.”

Trump and Border Czar Tom Homan have threatened both Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass with jail time if they obstruct their efforts. There were also vague, unspecified actions that the federal government would take if it did not cave to the Trump administration’s demands.

Newsom spoke following a weekend of protests that caused property destruction and bursts of violence in response to immigration raids in the city.

California has sued the Trump administration for authorizing the deployment of federal troops without approval from the state government. The suit was filed in response to the National Guard’s deployment, but the White House subsequently sent Marines from Camp Pendleton to aid the federal response.

“He is unhinged, and he’s acting recklessly, and the threat of the Marines coming [into] the United States, this is a very serious and sober moment. We are going to stand firm,” Newsom said.

Newsom said the lawsuit is the latest attempt to challenge the president’s executive power through the judicial branch of the government.

“There’s maybe a second branch of government left in this country,” Newsom said. “We obviously lost the legislative branch to Trump and Trumpism. We pray that the courts are still holding firm.”