Donald Trump, the 79-year-old president who can dish it out but cannot take it, announced on Truth Social Tuesday that a “Fraud Investigation of California” has begun—offering zero details, no evidence, and absolutely no indication of what agency might be conducting this alleged probe.
The target of his rage? Governor Gavin Newsom, who has spent months masterfully trolling the thin-skinned commander-in-chief online while clearly eyeing a 2028 presidential run.
WHAT’S GOING ON: “California, under Governor Gavin Newscum, is more corrupt than Minnesota, if that’s possible???” Trump posted, deploying his signature schoolyard nickname approach. “The Fraud Investigation of California has begun. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
That’s it. That’s the whole announcement. No details about what fraud, who’s investigating, or whether this “investigation” exists anywhere outside Trump’s imagination.
He later told House Republicans that Newsom “couldn’t pass” a cognitive test—because nothing says “I’m definitely not projecting” like questioning someone else’s mental fitness.
BUT BUT BUT: Newsom’s office absolutely torched Trump in response. A spokesperson told the Daily Beast: “Donald Trump is a deranged, habitual liar whose relationship with reality ended years ago. This is not complicated. He spends his days posting whatever garbage his shriveled little brain can cough up—and Fox News dutifully treats it like the Lord’s scripture.”
The spokesperson continued: “Meanwhile—in the actual world where adults govern—Gavin Newsom has been cleaning house. Since taking office, he’s blocked over $125 billion in fraud, arrested criminal parasites leaching off of taxpayers, and protected taxpayers from the exact kind of scam artists Trump celebrates, excuses, and pardons.”
THE DETAILS: Newsom has turned antagonizing Trump into something of an art form. The term-limited governor, who leaves office in January 2027, has been relentlessly mimicking Trump’s unhinged, all-caps social media posts, sharing bizarre AI-generated images, and hammering away at the president’s weakest spots.
This includes constantly reminding the public of Trump’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein—and the administration’s failure to release all files related to the late pedophile—as well as mocking the frail health of the 79-year-old.
On Monday, Newsom accused Trump of “endangering the lives of children, again” for slashing vaccine recommendations from 17 to 11.
Newsom hasn’t limited himself to Trump, either. He routinely mocks Vice President JD Vance, including pushing the viral (false) claim about Vance and a couch from Hillbilly Elegy. He also refers to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller as “Voldemort.”
ZOOM OUT: The two have been at each other’s throats for over a year.
Almost exactly twelve months ago, as deadly wildfires ripped through Los Angeles, Trump was on Truth Social blaming Newsom with baseless claims: “One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!”
Newsom, for his part, spearheaded a move to gerrymander five additional congressional House seats in California in direct response to Trump-backed efforts in Texas.
WHY IT MATTERS: When the president of the United States announces a “fraud investigation” against a political opponent with zero evidence or specifics, that’s not governance—it’s weaponized petulance.
It’s also a preview of how the administration plans to treat anyone who effectively challenges Trump: threaten them with vague investigations and hope the threat alone does the damage. Newsom clearly isn’t intimidated.
The question is whether other Democrats will take notes.