California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared that former President Donald Trump represents the "gravest threat to American democracy," urging voters to rally against what he described as electoral manipulation and fearmongering. Newsom's remarks, delivered during a speech exceeding eight minutes, framed the nation's democratic promise as being "under threat" from a "corrupt and unstable President."
Newsom called for a "declaration of election independence" on America's 250th birthday, seeking "freedom from election manipulators and deniers, freedom from the militarization of election day, freedom from the fear of imprisonment if you don’t go along with Trump’s schemes." He has repeatedly clashed with Trump and his administration across various political and legal disputes.
The governor's statements come as Democrats aim to regain control of both the House and Senate in the upcoming midterm elections. A Democratic majority in the House would enable more aggressive scrutiny of the current administration, including through congressional investigations.
A White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, responded to Newsom's remarks by calling him the "worst governor in America."