Gavin Newsom's Shady Thoughts On Trump And Zohran Mamdani's Bromance

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani knows that the way to President Donald Trump's heart is through a flattering headline. He showed up with a mockup of a newspaper front page praising Trump's efforts to build more affordable housing in New York, while meeting with the divisive politician in the Oval Office in February 2026. It was juxtaposed with the iconic headline from the Daily News that criticized Former President Gerald Ford for refusing to help rescue the city from its financial woes back in the 1970s. It read: "Ford to City: Drop Dead." The mockup featuring Trump, meanwhile, read: "Trump to City: Let's Build." Mamdani's goal was to get the president to fund housing projects in NYC. Nothing brightens the notoriously thin-skinned leader's day like some good old-fashioned flattery. 

But California Governor Gavin Newsom warned Mamdani that his honeymoon phase with the president likely wouldn't last very long. Notably, the NYC mayor managed to charm Trump from day one. In November 2025, he even directed some compliments at Mamdani after the two men met for the first time, gushing that it was a "great meeting" and asserting that Mamdani would do a "great job," per the BBC. This unexpected flattery came shortly after the controversial politician warned that New York City's newly-elected mayor would be a "complete and total economic and social disaster." 

Newsom voiced his skepticism of their blossoming bromance during a Q&A session for one of his book events. Influencer Jack Cocchiarella, who was interviewing the governor, joked that Trump appeared to have "a crush" on both "[Newsom] and Zohran." The Democratic politician quipped in response, "I've got to talk to Zohran. I know how this love story ends, Zohran," (via Politico). We can't really blame Newsom for being skeptical.

The main reason Gavin Newsom doesn't buy that Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani's bromance will last is likely because he's been on both the president's good and bad sides — and Newsom knows just how quickly the Trump tide can change. The divisive politician once dubbed Newsom "Newscum," proclaimed that he was running California into the ground, and in general just seems to have a deep dislike for the governor. Yet, he's also given him a rare compliment and, astonishingly, even moved to hug Newsom when they met in January 2025 amid the devastating Los Angeles fires. 

During Trump's speech at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the president mused, "I used to get along so great with Gavin when I was president [the first time]. Gavin's a good guy," per the New York Post. Meanwhile, Newsom doled out some nicknames that gave Trump a run for his money. He has also become quite adept at attacking Trump's fragile ego. While the former "Apprentice" host seemingly offered Newsom a compliment at Davos, the governor didn't return it. Instead, Newsom gave Trump a new name that was sure to get under his skin, telling reporters, "Diplomacy with Donald Trump? He's a T-Rex — you mate with him or he devours you." 

Naturally, the White House didn't like this. But Newsom was unfazed. During a March 2026 appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," the California governor discussed his relationship with the divisive politician, poking fun at and criticizing his conduct. Newsom disclosed that Trump once gave him a signed piece of paper as a gift for his kids, arguing, "[With] Trump, there's a longing, a need to be loved." He continued, "He's a broken man. That's why he tried to break this country."