• California Gov. Gavin Newsom has adopted Trump-like tactics to needle the president and energize Democrats.
  • Newsom’s trolling strategy is winning media attention, grassroots support, and a boost in early 2028 polling.
  • Strategists debate whether this bold approach strengthens the Democratic brand or simply mirrors Trump’s style.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (TDR) — Gavin Newsom has discovered a weapon to needle President Trump: mimicry. In recent weeks, the California governor has gone full Trump, from using all-caps social media blasts to branding rallies as “beautiful” in language lifted straight from Trump’s playbook. For Democrats in search of energy, the strategy has sparked both laughter and fresh enthusiasm.

A Trump-Like Strategy

Newsom has even coined his own Trump-style nickname for the president — “TACO,” short for Trump Always Chickens Out. The moniker, originating on Wall Street in response to tariff retreats, is designed to irritate Trump and signal defiance. His office has leaned in, producing social media content that mirrors the president’s cadence, tone, and provocation.

Democrats, still reeling from historic electoral losses, see in Newsom a figure unafraid to brawl in Trump’s own arena. “Democrats are over being the ‘nice guy’ party,” strategist Jamal Simmons said. “Newsom in particular is showing he’ll go as low as he needs to take on Trump.”

The approach reflects broader Democratic frustration. A recent Wall Street Journal poll revealed the party’s popularity at a three-decade low, with just 33 percent of voters holding a favorable view.

Media Amplification and Polling Bump

Coverage has been intense. HuffPost ran with the headline “He’s on a troll,” while Fox News debated his methods on “The Five.” Democrats interpret the attention as a sign of traction, with strategist Anthony Coley praising the California governor’s audacity: “Watching him go toe-to-toe with Trump on social media — an arena Trump has dominated for a decade — is refreshing.”

Indeed, Echelon Insights released a poll last week showing Newsom climbing to second place among likely 2028 Democratic contenders, capturing 13 percent behind Vice President Kamala Harris. The timing coincided with his most intense trolling of Trump, suggesting a correlation between his strategy and his rise in visibility.

Beyond Trump: Taking Aim at Republicans

Newsom’s team has not limited its targets to Trump. His social media account mocked Vice President J.D. Vance by editing his face onto a viral breakdancer’s body, a jab that spread quickly online. He also sparred with Dana Perino, the former White House press secretary turned Fox News host, after she scolded him for being “unserious.”

Perino warned, “He’s got a big job as governor of California, but if he wants an even bigger job, he has to be a little more serious.” Yet his follower count, now approaching 400,000 on X, suggests the trolling resonates more than it repels.

The Critics Push Back

Not everyone is convinced. Republican strategist Kevin Madden argued Democrats are mistaking “communications tactics” for substantive strategy. “Other than clicks and downloads, has this shifted the debate in his favor?” Madden asked. “So far, little evidence of that.”

Still, Newsom’s maneuvers have positioned him as a leading contender for Democrats’ next-generation leadership. “It has placed him at the top of the party’s internal process of sorting out candidates,” Madden conceded.

Democratic strategist Christy Setzer offered a counterpoint, describing his trolling as “pretty brilliant.” She argued Newsom has two audiences: Democrats desperate for a fighter and a media eager for spectacle. “He may have drawn blood,” she said, noting Trump’s recent retreat from his trademark all-caps rants.

Can Democrats Out-Trump Trump?

Whether Democrats can truly mirror Trump without diluting their own message remains unresolved. “No one will be Trumpier than Trump,” Setzer acknowledged. Yet, she added, as an attention-grabbing tactic, Newsom has “already succeeded.”

The question is whether Democrats are prepared to embrace a politics of trolling as a long-term strategy or if this is merely a temporary burst of bravado in the party’s search for leadership.

Is mirroring Trump’s bombast a path to revival for Democrats — or a risky bet that backfires in the long run?

Follow The Wayne Dupree Show on YouTube

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10