President Donald Trump and Democrat strategist David Axelrod both criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday following his remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Newsom was "screaming for the attention of Foreign Leaders."
And in a post on X, Axelrod criticized what he called Newsom's "self-puffery" during the appearance.
During an interview with Semafor, Newsom said he brought "moral authority" to Davos as governor of the "fourth-largest economy in the world."
"And so we can punch above our weight," he said.
"We can come here with formal authority and a little moral authority," Newsom continued.
"And I tell you, we need a little moral authority in our body politic in the United States of America today."
Trump rejected Newsom's characterization of his role at the forum.
"Gavin Newscum, as a 'Lame Duck' Governor of a Failing State, should not be at Davos running around screaming for the attention of Foreign Leaders, and embarrassing our Country," Trump said in his post.
"He made a mockery of himself, and everybody, including his staff, knows it!"
Axelrod also criticized Newsom's tone, casting it as an exercise in self-promotion.
"This 'Why can't people just be as courageous as ME?' routine is tedious," he said in his post.
"Haven't we seen enough self-puffery in our leaders?"
Newsom, who is termed out as governor, is viewed by some Democrats as the party's top choice for president in 2028.
"He should get the permits so that people can build their homes destroyed by the fire that he could have prevented if he would have allowed water to flow from the Pacific Northwest," Trump wrote.
"He should finish his monstrously 'overbudget and behind schedule' Railroad, from San Francisco to L.A., one of the Greatest Public Disasters in History, and focus on stopping Crime in the streets of California Cities — Then finish out his term, and GO HOME!" he continued.
"With a record like he's got, the ruination of one of the most beautiful places on Earth, where people are leaving in droves, it is unimaginable that he could run for President but, who knows, it's a very strange World!"
It's a sentiment the White House shared in a statement with The Hill.
"No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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