‘MAKE AMERICA GAVIN AGAIN!’: Newsom continues his social media Trump-trolling

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Gavin Newsom has continued on with his Trump-trolling tweet strategy this week. On Monday, the California Governor’s Press Office fired off a string of tweets comparing the murder rates of red states to those of major California cities.

“Louisiana’s murder rate is nearly 3x HIGHER than LA’s. Fox News when will you cover Mike Johnson’s FAILURE??” his press office tweeted, referring to Speaker Johnson’s (R-LA) home state.

According to FBI and CDC data cited by Newsom’s office, Los Angeles’ murder rate is 6.95 per 100K, compared to the “other” LA’s, which is 19.3 per 100K.

“Arkansas’ murder rate is 2.6x higher than San Francisco’s — but Fox News won’t tell you that,” read another tweet. That tweet contrasted a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge with a despairing photo of Arkansas Gov. Sara Huckabee Sanders.

According to the same sources cited in the first tweet, SF’s murder rate is 4.4 per 100K, compared to Arkansas’, which is 11.7 per 100K.

“Dallas’ murder rate is nearly 2x higher than Los Angeles’. Don’t expect Fox News to report that,” read a third tweet. According to stats cited by the governor’s office, Dallas has a 13.62 per 100K murder rate, compared to LA’s 6.95 per 100K.

“San Francisco’s murder rate just hit its lowest point in 60 years,” read another tweet from over the weekend. “Meanwhile, Memphis had 8x as many murders last year.”

“Guess which city Fox talks about?” he added.

Memphis, which according to Major Cities Chiefs Association, has a population of 610,000, had 287 murders last year, compared to San Francisco. SF, with a population of 827,000, had only 35 murders in 2024.

“St. Louis’ murder rate is a staggering 190% higher than Oakland’s. Do you think Fox will cover that?” read yet another tweet, contrasting a picture of the Fox Theater with one of Missouri MAGA Sen. Josh Hawley.

According to FBI data, Oakland’s murder rate was 18.62 per 100K, compared to St. Louis’, which was 54.09 per 100K.

“Arkansas’ murder rate is double California’s,” read another tweet. “But Fox News won’t tell you that.” Accompanied by contrasting pictures of Newsom and Huckabee Sanders, the tweet cited CDC data revealing that the Golden State’s murder rate was 5.1 per 100K compared to Louisiana’s 11.3 per 100K.

Over the weekend, Newsom also launched an online “Patriot Shop.” Billed as “The Greatest Merchandise Ever Made,” the shop features MAGA-spoofing merchandise like red caps that read “NEWSOM WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!”, “TRUMP IS NOT HOT” tank tops, and a “CHOSEN ONE” t-shirt, depicting a saintly Newsom flanked by Hulk Hogan, Kid Rock and Tucker Carlson.

Newsom promoted the shop with a picture of a Trump-like flag that read “MAKE AMERICA GAVIN AGAIN,” tweeting, “SOON MAGA WILL HAVE A WHOLE NEW MEANING!”