California Gov. Gavin Newsom has turned trolling Donald Trump into an art form. Every new post lands harder than the last, racking up views and sparking a flood of comments from people who can’t get enough of his clapbacks.
In one of his latest shots at Trump and his allies, Newsom reposted photos originally shared by House Speaker Mike Johnson. The images showed Johnson, Sen. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, and Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson — Trump’s former White House physician — seated with the president for a formal dinner on Sept. 5. The gathering took place in the newly desecrated White House Rose Garden.
The post quickly took off, drawing nearly 2 million views on X and over 10,000 comments.
Johnson wrote, “The grand opening of the new Rose Garden Club at the White House last night was epic. Thanks to @realDobald Trump for his hospitality & visionary leadership.”
Newsom, styling his post in true Trumpian style wrote, “After ripping health care from 17 million Americans and slashing food stamps for kids, we’re glad Mike “Marie Antoinette” Johnson and his boy friends had time to toast the grand opening of the Predator Patio.”
Newsom was referring there to Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which he signed into law earlier this summer. It cuts health care and nutrition programs for the most vulnerable Americans, including Medicaid, Medicare and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to pay for tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. Johnson worked hard to bring the GOP together to pass the legislation in the House.
But while Newsom hasn’t held back in his trolling of Trump, this viral tweet felt especially gutsy to his growing fanbase.
“Holy cow! 😂 I am loving this version of Newsom. Well done!,” wrote one commenter on Yahoo.
“I hope Newsom continues over and over again with his comments. At least he has the guts to say what needs to be said,” another added.
Yet another praised Newsom for his bold approach, “Gavin and his team are very good. The nickname is spot on, but also the scary truth.”
Another joked that they’re eager to see the South Park episode of this latest incident. “Awesome nickname the predator patio can’t wait for the South Park episode”
Others on X, had a similar sentiment.
“Predator Patio – perfect!!” this X user said. “Predator Patio has me laid tf out! 🤣,” mused another.
“goddamn this is fire.” another X user added.
MAGA was not surprisingly furious and hit Newsom with paragraph long clapbacks.
“F all the way off. The death of California is well on its way. I remember San Diego and San Francisco in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s being beautiful and safe. Now, they’re shit holes thanks to Democrat leadership and unfettered illegal immigration. So yea, F all the way off!,” wrote one user.
Becky added, “Predator patio? Really? From someone who slept with his best friend’s wife? And allowed minors to staff Glass House Farms? Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
And as for Johnson’s new nickname “Mike ‘Marie Antoinette” John,” “MAGA Mikey is a dishonest, disgusting little man pretending to be a ‘Christian,’” X user Teresa Kinney wrote.
Newsom has been trolling Trump for weeks now, mocking the President’s bombastic social media style and enraging Trump in the process.
And his near-constant trolling of the President has marked the first time since Trump rode down the golden escalator at Trump Tower in New York in 2015 to announce his first run for president that a Democrat or any other prominent political figure has so blatantly taunted Trump and thrown his own blustering social media style back in his face.
And it seems to be working. Not only is the President furious at Newsom, the California governor’s poll numbers have continued to spike.
As for the Rose Garden, once a lush green lawn surrounded by roses initially planted by first lady Ellen Wilson in 1913 then redesigned by first lady Jackie Kennedy in the 1960s, Trump tore up the lawn and laid down stone pavers over the summer. He furnished it with tables, chairs and umbrellas that have a striking resemblance to those at the President’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
