California Governor Gavin Newsom escalated his ongoing political sparring with President Donald Trump on August 25, 2025, by mocking the president’s relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un through a satirical social media post that drew comparisons to authoritarian propaganda.
The confrontation began after the Department of Labor promoted a photo on social media showing a massive banner draped over the Frances Perkins Building in Washington, D.C. The banner featured a scowling Trump next to the words “AMERICAN WORKERS FIRST,” hung beside a similar image of Theodore Roosevelt at the department’s headquarters.
Newsom responded by posting “THANK YOU, GLORIOUS LEADER!” above a photo of a large mural of former North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il installed in Pyongyang. The post mimicked Trump’s characteristic social media style and came just hours after Trump had boasted about maintaining a special relationship with the current North Korean supreme leader.
Earlier that Monday, Trump had expressed enthusiasm about reconnecting with Kim Jong Un during remarks in the Oval Office, telling an audience he looks forward to seeing the North Korean dictator. Trump indicated he knows Kim better than almost anyone, except for his sister, whom he noted knows him pretty well. The president brought up the dictator again during an Oval Office meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
During the meeting with Lee, Trump acknowledged that North Korea had developed further nuclear and missile capabilities during the four years he was out of office. Trump expressed his desire to meet with Kim again, and when Lee hoped the president would usher in a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula, Trump replied that he would accomplish that goal through talks, claiming Kim would like to meet with him.
Trump elaborated on his relationship with the North Korean leader, stating he has a great relationship with Kim Jong Un and understands him. He revealed he had spent significant free time with Kim discussing topics they probably were not supposed to talk about.
When the Daily Beast requested comment from the White House regarding Newsom’s mockery, a spokesperson responded with a screenshot of a Daily Mail article claiming the governor is secretly paying for his own monument at San Francisco City Hall to commemorate his time as mayor.
This incident represents part of Newsom’s broader trolling campaign against Trump, which has included launching his own “PATRIOT SHOP” merchandise store. The online store features items such as a “NEWSOM 2026” mug, a “DON’T POKE THE BEAR” yard sign, and a MAGA-style red baseball cap reading “NEWSOM WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!” Newsom announced on August 25 that the store had sold over $100,000 worth of products.
The California governor’s merchandise includes a $100 Bible, mirroring Trump’s own religious merchandise ventures. Trump has sold “God Bless the USA” Bibles in partnership with country singer Lee Greenwood, originally priced at $60 each, with Trump disclosing $300,000 in royalties from Bible sales in a financial disclosure before the 2024 election.
Newsom’s trolling tactics have drawn strong reactions from conservative media figures. Fox News host Will Cain criticized the governor’s approach on his show, arguing that Newsom had found success with the left by mocking Trump and copying his style. Cain described Newsom’s personality as merely a shadow and Xerox copy of others.
This is not the first time Newsom has drawn comparisons between Trump and authoritarian rulers. In June 2025, after Trump sent 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to address anti-ICE protests, Newsom accused the president of acting like a dictator rather than a president. He listed inciting violence, creating mass chaos, militarizing cities, and arresting opponents as dictatorial behaviors.
The escalating war of words has clearly gotten under Trump’s skin. Last week, the president claimed on Truth Social that Newsom was “way down in the polls” and described him as the man destroying California, promising to save the state himself. Newsom’s press office responded to Trump’s post with three snowflake emojis, further demonstrating the governor’s commitment to his mocking campaign strategy.
