Newsom shows off Trump 'kneepads,' concedes White House feud is 'deeply unbecoming'
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ongoing feud with the White House was on full display Thursday in Davos when he cracked a joke about Trump "kneepads," before acknowledging the increasingly crude...
By Fox News · Fox News
California Gov. Gavin Newsom ’s ongoing feud with the White House was on full display Thursday in Davos when he cracked a joke about Trump "kneepads," before acknowledging the increasingly crude exchanges between the two sides are "deeply unbecoming." The moment began with Newsom brandishing what he described as "Trump signature series kneepads," prompting laughter from the audience before he shifted to a more serious tone. Speaking at a special World Economic Forum session moderated by Ben Smith, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Semafor, the California governor framed his provocations as a deliberate strategy to "put a mirror up" to President Donald Trump and his allies. "It's not what we should be doing. But you've got to point out the absurdity ," Newsom said. NEWSOM WARNS ‘PATHETIC’ FOREIGN LEADERS TO GROW A BACKBONE IN BIZARRE TAKEDOWN LIKENING TRUMP TO A T.REX He pointed to recent remarks from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calling him "Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken" as an example of how senior Trump administration officials have increasingly leaned into personal attacks. "We're deeply in their head. I think the affordability agenda appears to be I'm living rent-free in the Trump administration's head," he told Smith. Newsom admitted Trump's "great strength," however, is his ability to detect weakness. NEWSOM RETREATS AFTER SHAPIRO PUTS HIM ON THE SPOT OVER CHILLING ICE TERRORISM CLAIM "That's his gift, but you punch back. You fight fire with fire. You display conviction and strength. It's a different relationship. And so, my relationship to this moment is reflected in that. I'm not naive. These guys are going to try to take me down, not just my state," he said. Newsom's press office said Wednesday on X that the USA House at Davos denied the governor entry to speak with the media after Fortune, the event's official media partner, invited him, citing pressure from the White House and State Department. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Fox Ne…