In a moment that will likely send shockwaves through every level of American government, President Donald Trump has publicly called for the arrest of California Governor Gavin Newsom, sparking immediate political fallout and fears of authoritarian overreach.
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During a tense exchange on Fox News, correspondent Peter Doocy referenced Governor Newsom’s ongoing defiance of federal immigration policy, stating that Newsom appeared to be “daring Tom Homan to come and arrest him.” Homan, Trump’s border czar, has long clashed with Newsom over sanctuary state policies.
President Trump’s response was blunt:
“I would do it if I were Tom. Gavin likes the publicity.”
That brief but explosive statement from the sitting President of the United States is already being described as a direct call for the arrest of a sitting governor, a move with virtually no precedent in modern American history.
Within the hour, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a grave and urgent response:
“The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor.
This is a day I hoped I would never see in America.
I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican — this is a line we cannot cross as a nation. This is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.”
President Trump’s remarks come amid mounting federal-state tensions over immigration enforcement, and a broader White House push to override what it calls “lawless” sanctuary jurisdictions. But calling for the arrest of a political rival — not for a crime, but for political defiance — sets a potentially dangerous new precedent.
Legal scholars and civil rights advocates are already weighing in, with several warning this may amount to a constitutional crisis if pursued further. As of now, there is no indication that any warrant or legal proceedings exist against Governor Newsom.
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