Newsom is losing, as expected.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is furious after former President Donald Trump delivered a major political gut punch—moving to reverse two controversial national monument designations imposed by the Biden administration.
The Trump administration is considering revoking the protected status of the Chuckwalla and Sattitla Highlands National Monuments, both in California. One sits near Joshua Tree, where land use battles have raged for years. The move could open the door to energy production, economic growth, and job creation in areas Democrats locked down under environmental pretense.
Newsom, a vocal critic of Trump and potential 2028 presidential hopeful, didn’t take it well.
“This is just getting petty. Grow up,” Newsom snapped, clearly rattled by the news.
His office doubled down with a post on X:
“If it’s a day ending in Y, it’s another day of Trump’s war on California.”
Trump Reverses Obama-Biden Land Grab
Trump’s Justice Department issued a legal opinion confirming that national monument designations can be undone by future presidents—clearing a path for restoring land access to the American people. This overturns a decades-old legal roadblock that favored indefinite federal control.
The administration pointed out that locking up millions of acres under environmental restrictions blocks future energy development, infrastructure, and economic opportunity—especially in rural communities desperate for jobs.
Democrats Cry Foul, But Legal Experts Back Trump
Legal experts cited the Antiquities Act of 1906, which allows for adjustments to monument boundaries when a designation is found to be excessive or unnecessary. Even Chief Justice John Roberts has allowed challenges to the sweeping use of the Act to restrict resource access.
Environmental lobbyists are outraged, but many Americans—especially in the energy and agriculture sectors—see it as a long-overdue correction to bureaucratic overreach.
Newsom Lashes Out on Social Media
Newsom didn’t just complain about the land policy. He also mocked a podcast interview between Donald Trump Jr. and former ICE Director Tom Homan—who suggested Newsom could be arrested for undermining federal immigration enforcement.
In a sarcastic jab, Newsom posted:
“Promo code ARREST for 15% off your Trump Phone.”
Critics blasted the post as immature and tone-deaf—especially given California’s spiraling crime, drug abuse, and homelessness crises.
Crime, Energy, and Failed Leadership
Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, fired back, urging Newsom to focus on violent crime in California cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. Instead, Newsom deflected—pointing to Missouri’s homicide rate.
A Trump White House spokesman responded with a scathing rebuke:
“California’s Green New Scam has failed. Rolling blackouts, sky-high energy prices, and failed crime policies have driven families and businesses out. Gavin Newsom has no business lecturing anyone.”
“Releasing federal land for energy and economic development isn’t petty—it’s patriotic. Newsom may not understand adult decisions because his entire legacy is failure.”
