California Governor Gavin Newsom, long a target of conservative activists, has decided to jump into the lion’s den, joining the Donald Trump-owned Truth Social yesterday. Newsom made the announcement on Twitter this afternoon writing, “I just joined Trump’s Truth Social. Going to be on there calling out Republican lies. This could get…interesting.”
His first Truth Social post contains a video in which he says he is “breaking down America’s red state murder problem.” The caption on the post reads, “Here’s the truth…”
Newsom also posted the video to Twitter. In it, he maintains that “eight of the top 10 states with the top murder rates are red states.”
He continues, “So the question is simple: What are the laws and policies that are leading to such carnage?”
The post has about 650 likes and 250 shares in the past 24 hours.
For reference, below is the CDC’s map for the states with the highest age-adjusted homicide rates.
Newsom has long denied that he has national political ambitions, but the Golden State leader frequently points out the difference between California and the nation’s other two most-populous states, Texas and Florida, both of which have GOP governors.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is, of course, often touted as a future Republican presidential candidate. Contrasting himself with DeSantis and other GOP leaders — even on Truth Social — could make Newsom seem like a natural national choice to oppose them.
At the very least, the Truth Social crowd is one that Newsom does not get regular hearings from. Taking his message onto the platform is sure to get him, and his message, some notice.