Newsom Claims Trump Administration Blocked Him From Speaking at Davos

California Gov. Gavin Newsom ignited a public feud Wednesday after claiming the Trump administration blocked him from speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, alleging White House pressure prevented his appearance at the USA House—the official U.S. pavilion at the annual global summit.

According to Newsom’s office, the governor was scheduled to participate in an event hosted by Fortune magazine but was denied access at the last minute. Newsom aired his grievance publicly on social media.

“California was just denied at the USA House,” Newsom wrote on X. “Last we checked, California is part of USA.”

The accusation was quickly dismissed by the Trump administration, which instead mocked Newsom’s international posturing and questioned why the governor was seeking global attention while California continues to struggle with worsening crises at home.

“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 spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement to the BBC.

The controversy unfolded just hours after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered sharp remarks of his own at USA House, where he criticized California’s leadership and promised increased federal scrutiny.

“The Trump administration is coming to California to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse,” Bessent said, citing what he described as the state’s growing dysfunction under Newsom.

“He is too smug, too self-absorbed, and too economically illiterate to know anything,” Bessent added, drawing applause from the pro-business audience in attendance.

Newsom’s office doubled down on its claims, alleging direct interference by federal officials. “USA House denied his entry under pressure from the White House and State Department,” a spokesperson wrote on X.

“How weak and pathetic do you have to be to be this scared of a fireside chat?” Newsom added in a follow-up post.

Critics were quick to seize on the episode as further evidence that Newsom is more focused on cultivating an international profile than addressing California’s mounting problems. Fox News host Laura Ingraham summed it up bluntly, saying, “Newsom’s not governing — he’s auditioning.”

Breitbart Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow echoed that assessment, arguing that Newsom has abandoned basic governance in favor of elite networking.

“He thinks winning means flying around the world with rich donors, not fixing California. Half of L.A. burned. Homelessness off the charts. Nineteen miles takes an hour and twenty minutes. High-speed rail? A grift. The surplus? Blown,” Marlow said.

Marlow also pointed to Newsom’s proximity to left-wing megadonor Alex Soros, who attended WEF events this week, as emblematic of the governor’s priorities. “Just check Alex Soros’s Instagram,” he added.

The Davos dispute is the latest flashpoint in a series of clashes between Newsom and officials in President Donald J. Trump’s administration. In recent months, the California governor has attempted to position himself as a leading Democratic antagonist to the president, traveling abroad to promote climate initiatives and progressive policies—moves that have increasingly drawn criticism from within his own state.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has intensified oversight of California’s finances and regulatory regime. Treasury Secretary Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have both vowed to investigate alleged misuse of federal funds tied to homelessness programs and environmental spending.

Newsom has defended his international travel as necessary to “defend democracy and the planet,” even as California faces a growing budget deficit, declining public services, and persistent public safety concerns.

Whether the Davos dustup strengthens Newsom’s national ambitions—or further exposes his record at home—remains an open question.