California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office publicly mocked Vice President JD Vance on X after Vance disparaged modern Democratic politicians during a television interview, a rare direct rebuke between two figures who have been discussed as potential 2028 presidential contenders.
Vance, in a softball interview on Fox News with Lara Trump, said he did not "think much of the modern Democratic Party" and that "some of them are actually trying to mimic President Trump. You can’t mimic his style; he just is who he is," according to a transcript of the conversation. Vance did not identify specific Democrats in the exchange.
On Sept. 7, 2025, the governor’s press account on X replied with a one-line post that read in part, "COUCH BOY," a reference to a previously debunked rumor about Vance. The message continued, "I’M NOT MIMICKING DOZY DON. I’M MOCKING HIM. ONLY SOMEONE WITH A LAW DEGREE FROM CHUCK E. CHEESE COULD BE AS DUMB AS YOU!!!" The full text of the post was shared via the governor’s verified press account.
The exchange underscores how personal insults and taunting have migrated into mainstream political communications in the run-up to the 2028 election cycle. Newsom’s office has in recent weeks adopted a combative social-media posture that some critics say echoes former President Donald Trump’s style; supporters say it is meant to undermine what they describe as the current president’s conduct and rhetoric.
Newsom himself defended the tactic in an interview last month with the MeidasTouch Network, saying the aim was to draw attention to what he characterized as the president’s immature behavior and the role of conservative media in amplifying grievances. "The point is to make the point about what is going on in this country," he said. "You have the president of the United States that’s acting like a child and you’ve got the chatbots on Fox that repeat 24/7 and are weaponizing his grievances, attacking vulnerable people, traumatizing communities."
Vance’s comments on Fox came amid a broader Republican critique of Democrats’ messaging and electability, and they followed a period of renewed public sparring between Newsom and conservative figures. The back-and-forth highlights both party polarization and the use of social platforms as an extension of political campaigning and communication.
Neither Vance’s office nor Newsom’s press team offered additional comment beyond the public posts. Representatives for both men have previously declined to comment on each other’s long-term political plans, and both remain prominent national figures whose statements draw scrutiny as the 2028 presidential cycle approaches.