- Former President Trump asserts he spoke with California Governor Gavin Newsom a day ago, despite no public confirmation from Newsom's office.
- The claim comes amid an active legal battle over Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles without Newsom's approval.
- Newsom has previously accused Trump of 'authoritarian tendencies' and creating a 'manufactured crisis.'
A Contested Claim
Former President Donald Trump stated he recently spoke with California Governor Gavin Newsom, though the governor's office has not verified the conversation. This assertion surfaces as tensions between the two reach new heights over the unprecedented deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles, which Newsom has labeled an 'illegal takeover.'
Escalating Legal Battle
Newsom filed suit against Trump and the Department of Defense on June 10, 2025, challenging what he describes as a violation of state authority. The deployment, tied to immigration protests, marks a rare federal intervention in state-controlled National Guard operations. Trump, meanwhile, suggested his border czar Tom Homan should 'arrest' Newsom—a remark the governor dismissed with a defiant, 'Come and get me, tough guy.'
A Fractured Relationship
Once described as having a 'quiet truce,' the relationship between Trump and Newsom has deteriorated sharply. Newsom has publicly criticized Trump's tactics, calling him 'the master of distraction' and accusing him of undermining democratic principles. The lack of corroboration for Trump's claimed conversation only deepens the uncertainty surrounding their already volatile dynamic.
Attempts to reach representatives from both camps for comment were unsuccessful.