Stars & Politicians Who Seemingly Can't Stand Gavin Newsom

California Governor Gavin Newsom has been making political waves over the past couple of years, and he's stepped on a few toes in the process. Some expected him to step up as a presidential contender when it became clear that former President Biden didn't have the necessary support from the Democratic Party to run for a second term. Newsom stayed loyal to Biden, however, not throwing his hat in the ring. But it will most likely be a different story come 2028. Newsom has confirmed that he is eyeing a bid for the White House, and he's been positioning himself as the antithesis of the current Republican Party.

Newsom gained traction in 2025 as his press office's account on X started mimicking the diction of President Donald Trump's Truth Social posts, and the governor started doling out nicknames that gave Trump a run for his money. Additionally, Newsom started comparing Trump ally Stephen Miller to Voldemort, which has left the internet in stitches more than once. With more political prominence, Newsom has also weathered some of his most controversial moments, and many politicians and celebrities have since made it clear that they're not exactly fond of the governor.

At the 2025 New York Times DealBook Summit, it became clear that Gavin Newsom had made an enemy out of Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry. During her speech at the event, Berry slammed the politician for vetoing the Menopause Care Equity Act earlier that year. This bill, if passed, would have improved access to medication to help ease the symptoms of menopause. Newsom made himself very unpopular with this vote and made matters worse when he told Politico he didn't support it because it's "too far-reaching." Berry made it clear that she believes Newsom doesn't have his female constituents' best interests at heart.

"Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one, but two years in a row," Berry told the audience, per New York Times Events. "But that's okay, because he's not going to be governor forever, and with the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us in midlife, he probably should not be our next president either. Just saying." Oof.

Newsom took note of Berry's criticism, telling TMZ in a subsequent interview, "We're reconciling this. I've included it in the budget next year. She didn't know that." His spokesperson also released a statement, assuring the public that Newsom wants to make the bill work but that the bill in its current form would have "unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women and working families already stretched thin." In a subsequent interview with The Cut, Berry said Newsom never made good on promises to connect with her to discuss the bill: "It's disturbing when people say they're going to do things and then they don't."

Actor Mark Ruffalo's most brutal takedowns of Donald Trump is well-documented, and while he might not be a fan of the commander-in-chief, Ruffalo has also been critical of Gavin Newsom. The "Avengers" star took to X to rebuke the California governor after he walked back comments he made about Israel during an interview on "Pod Save America.". Newsom referenced an opinion piece by Thomas L. Friedman that was published by The New York Times, where the commentator argued that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu wants to "make Israel an apartheid state."

Newsom echoed these comments during the podcast interview, and it got him into a load of trouble with folks who didn't agree. He backtracked at the first available opportunity, telling Politico he regretted echoing Friedman's sentiments in the context he had, clarifying that he fears apartheid might become a part of Israel's future should Netanyahu be allowed to continue on his current political course, adding that he didn't believe the country is currently enforcing apartheid.

Ruffalo took to X to call Newsom out for flip-flopping on the issue. "Gavin, know where you stand and stand there. You said what you meant," he wrote. "I don't know what billionaire got in your ear but it's not working for you. This is not how you are going to win. It's Apartheid and it's a Genocide. Today!"

If you're wondering who Michael Rapaport is, well, he's the "Only Murders In the Building" actor who's not afraid to take on politicians on both sides of the aisle. When devastating wildfires ravaged Los Angeles in January 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom took a lot of heat from his constituents (no pun intended), and one of them was Rapaport, who took to Instagram to rage against the politician's handling of the disaster.

Rapaport christened Newsom with the moniker "Gavin with the Good Hair Newsom," telling the politician to stop focusing so much on Donald Trump, who was yet to retake office, and focus on better handling the disaster in his state. Rapaport also called Newsom a "bullsh*t artist."

Trump has received similar treatment from the actor, with Rapaport telling DJ Envy that he has little reverence for the politician. "He's lowered the bar, I think, going forward, of the respect of the presidency," Rapaport surmised (via Facebook).

Famous personal trainer Jillian Michaels might have made headlines in the past for her drama with talk show host Andy Cohen, but that's nothing compared to her beef with Gavin Newsom. Much like Michael Rapaport, Michaels believes Newsom carries some responsibility for the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, and she was very critical of his decision to veto a bill intended to prevent future wildfire disasters. The bill, SB 326, made its way to the governor's desk in October 2025, but Newsom didn't sign it, arguing that the state did not have the finances to implement the wildfire prevention methods listed in the bill.

Michaels was very critical of this, as well as of the fact that California is the most expensive state in the country, including when it comes to income taxes. "And people get nothing for the money they're paying," she told the California Post in April 2026 (via the New York Post). She called Newsom a "true sociopath," criticizing him for trying to appeal to voters on both sides of the political spectrum. "[It] just shows you how totally inauthentic the guy is," Michaels argued.

During an April 2026 interview with Fox News, Michaels also tore into Newsom over the widespread welfare fraud that has taken place in the state under his watch. When asked why she thinks the governor has allowed this to happen, Michaels gave a blunt answer. "Because I don't think he cares," she affirmed. "I think his policies are performative." She added that she believes Newsom's entire administration is rotten to the core, citing his former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, who stands accused of fraud.

Donald Trump's feud with Gavin Newsom is well documented. The two politicians have repeatedly butted heads over the years, and Trump, who has never been one to mince words, has flung several insults at the governor. In June 2025, widespread protests in Los Angeles garnered national attention, and Trump eventually deployed the National Guard to the state without Newsom's consent. When talking with reporters about the situation, Trump said he would gladly arrest Newsom for his incompetence.

"I'd do it if I were [border czar Tom Homan]," the president said, per Politico. "I think it's great. Gavin likes the publicity. He's done a terrible job. I like Gavin Newsom. He's a nice guy but he's grossly incompetent, everybody knows." Trump's barbs didn't stop there. He also took a jab at Newsom's dyslexia diagnosis, something the governor has been really open about throughout his political career. Trump surmised that Newsom cannot possibly be intelligent given this diagnosis.

"With a low IQ person, you know, because Gavin Newscum has admitted that he is a, that he has learning disabilities," Trump told journalists during an Oval Office pool spray, accidentally referring to Newsom as the president while he was at it. "The President of the United States, Gavin Newscum, admitted that he has learning disabilities, dyslexia. Everything about him is dumb," Trump rambled, per the BBC.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly got into a physical confrontation with Elon Musk after Donald Trump retook office in 2025, and pundits who have been paying attention to the barbs he's been trading with Gavin Newsom likely won't be surprised if the two get into a physical altercation of their own in the future.

Newsom took a jab at Bessent on X after an out-of-touch clip of the treasury secretary seemingly assuming that many people can afford multiple homes made the rounds on the internet. "Someone, maybe your parents for their retirement, have bought five, 10, 12 homes," Bessent said during an interview at the World Economic Forum in January 2026 (via X). Newsom took to X to troll the secretary, reposting the clip and captioning it, "Could this smug man be more out of touch?" Bessent did not take kindly to the governor's commentary and in a subsequent speech at the forum clapped back with everything he had. "I think it's very, very ironic that Governor Newsom — who strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken — may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris," he sneered, per Mediaite.

During a February 2026 interview with Fox News, Bessent seized the opportunity to skewer Newsom once again, alleging that the governor is good at doling out criticism but terrible at taking it when it's directed at him, asserting that Newsom has a "glass jaw" and is "slow brained."

Musician Kid Rock is a staunch Trump supporter, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that he's not a fan of Gavin Newsom. The California governor evoked the singer's ire when his press office's X account, which imitates the style of Donald Trump's Truth Social posts, shared an AI-generated image of Kid Rock endorsing Newsom in August 2025. The governor captioned it, "I ACCEPT! — GCN." The rocker did not take kindly to this, clapping back, "The only support Gavin Newscum will ever get out of me is from DEEZ NUTZ."

This was hardly the end of the drama. As the online kerfuffle intensified, Newsom posted another Trump-like message to the account, noting that he's considering revoking the musician's California residency (this was, of course, not a serious threat). "HE IS A THREAT TO CALIFORNIA'S EARDRUMS, AND SHOULD REMAIN IN THE WONDERFUL STATE OF MICHIGAN, IF THEY WANT HIM," the post read. Another subsequent post of Newsom's announced that the governor "WILL INDEFINITELY SUSPEND KID ROCK FROM PERFORMING IN THE GOLDEN STATE." The musician did not publicly respond to these messages, but given his initial response to Newsom's trolling, it might be safe to assume that he didn't think any of the posts funny.

Comedian and actor David Spade isn't very fond of Gavin Newsom, and he hasn't been afraid to say so. During a March 2026 episode of his podcast, "Fly on the Wall," Spade blamed Newsom for Hollywood's decline. "Thanks Gavin," said Spade after describing the mortgage default on one of the city's most iconic studios. However, he also admitted that he is "just trying to put the blame somewhere." This wasn't the first time Spade criticized the governor.

During a January 2026 episode of the podcast, he discussed one of Newsom's many headaches — the $20 billion that was earmarked for the state's homelessness crisis that mysteriously went missing. "That's why people get tired of paying taxes," Spade argued (via X), noting that the governor has seemingly tried to block investigations into where the missing money went. "Gavin Newsom just vetoed a bill asking for an audit of where the money for homeless goes."

And indeed, Newsom did veto said bill, which called for the close monitoring of homelessness programs' spending. The governor argued that "similar measures are already in place" to keep track of the state's spending when it comes to programs like these.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has taken plenty of swipes at Gavin Newsom, and given the fact that he used to be Donald Trump's biggest fan, it tracks. The two weren't always hostile. Musk's electric car company, Tesla, which used to call California home, provided the state with many jobs, but Musk eventually moved its headquarters to Texas in 2021. In a 2022 tweet, he criticized Newsom's attempt to implement solar tax in the state, calling it a "bizarre anti-environment move by govt of California." Musk has since frequently criticized the governor.

In 2024, Musk pulled up his nose at Newsom's attempts to prevent AI from being used in a deceptive manner by politicians. Musk saw the law Newsom implemented as an attack on free speech, taking to X to pen, "The Joker is in charge," referring to Newsom, per Newsweek. In another tweet, Musk alluded that the governor had effectively tried to ban good old parody. "You're not gonna believe this, but @GavinNewsom just announced that he signed a LAW to make parody illegal, based on this video" he wrote on X. Said video showed footage of former Vice President Kamala Harris with an AI-generated voiceover mimicking Harris' voice telling people how incompetent she is.

The tech billionaire's criticism of Newsom has continued, and in April 2026, the Tesla CEO took to X to criticize the cost of California's high speed rail system, a project that has faced many hiccups and is set to cost around $126 billion to complete. "It's all going to fraud and bureaucracy," Musk penned.

Famous podcaster Joe Rogan can be added to the list of famous names who think the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires could have been prevented if Gavin Newsom did a better job of implementing preventative measures.

During a January 2025 episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," the podcaster expressed his exasperation at Newsom's decision to spend an eye-watering sum of money to supposedly combat homelessness while leaving the state vulnerable to wildfires. Rogan also asserted that Newsom is lying to the public about California's economic fortitude. "You're out of your f–king mind, dude. You've ruined this state. Personally ruined it," Rogan argued.

Newsom is very aware of the podcaster's criticisms, it seems, and when his name came up in an October 2025 episode of the podcast, the governor clapped back on X, claiming Rogan "is too [chicken] to have me on his show and expose his listeners to the truth." Rogan hit back, calling Newsom "stupid." The governor told CNN in response, "I'm moving on."

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has made it crystal clear that he can't stand Gavin Newsom, and when the two debated each other in December 2023, there were plenty of fireworks. Newsom challenged DeSantis to a debate in September 2022 after journalist Dan Rather called on CNN to organize a debate between the two governors. Newsom responded to Rather's request, addressing DeSantis, "Since you have only one overriding need – attention – let's take this up & debate. I'll bring my hair gel. You bring your hairspray. Name the time before Election Day."

CNN did not answer the call, but Fox News ended up hosting a debate between the two in 2023, and it made plenty of headlines. DeSantis attacked Newsom's leadership, asserting that he's left California worse off than he found it. He argued that the governor is planning to "take the California model and use that as a template for America's collapse" when he makes his bid for the presidency, per NBC News. The two eventually got into the weeds of the COVID-19 pandemic, with DeSantis calling Newsom a "lockdown governor" who irreparably harmed his constituents. Newsom clapped back that DeSantis had implemented lockdown regulations of his own in Florida. Later, Newsom accused DeSantis of "trolling folks" and desperately trying to "out-Trump Trump." As things grew more heated, both governors eventually resorted to calling each other a "bully."

DeSantis' criticism of Newsom hasn't waned. Speaking to Fox News in January 2026, The Florida governor condemned Newsom's conduct at the 2026 World Economic Forum, accusing him of "frolicking around" and attempting to smear Donald Trump, arguing that Newsom should rather be focusing on fixing his own state's problems.

As Donald Trump's second in command, it is JD Vance's duty to be critical of Gavin Newsom, and he certainly needs no help in that department. The vice president directed blunt criticism Newsom's way during a September 2025 speech, accusing him of stoking violence with his rhetoric that the Trump administration is an "authoritarian government."

"If your political rhetoric encourages violence against our law enforcement, you can go straight to hell and you have no place in the political conversation of the United States of America," Vance said of Newsom, per the New York Post. The governor responded on X, penning, "No thanks, JD. I will not be going 'straight to hell' today. Though when I watch you speak I certainly feel like I'm already there."

The hostility between Newsom and Vance continues to be alive and well. In January 2026, Vance joined Fox News host Jesse Watters in poking fun at the way Newsom crosses his legs when he sits down. Watters asked Vance (via Radar), "Gavin Newsom, obviously running for president ... have you seen this guy cross his legs?" The vice president responded, "My legs don't cross like that, Jesse. You can interpret that however you want to."