BELEM, Brazil (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday he’s stunned by eight senators’ decision to break with Democrats and end the government shutdown and warned they’re not alarmed enough about President Donald Trump’s political norm-shattering.
“I’m not coming in to punch anybody in the face, but I'm not pleased that, in the face of this invasive species that is Donald Trump, who’s completely changed the rules of the game, that we’re still playing by the old rules of the game,” Newsom told The Associated Press in an interview at the COP30 UN Climate Conference in Brazil. “And in my core, I'm stunned.”
Newsom was asked what he would say to the group of seven Democrats and one independent senator who joined with Republicans in the Senate late Monday to pass legislation to reopen the government, bringing the longest shutdown in history closer to an end. Along with the ratified deal came searing criticism for the moderates from other Democrats, frustrated by what they said amounted to caving to the GOP without achieving lasting progress toward extending health care subsidies set to expire Jan. 1.
As news of potential compromise neared ahead of a procedural Sunday night vote to advance the overall funding legislation, Newsom's press office wrote on X, “Pathetic. This isn’t a deal. It’s a surrender. Don’t bend the knee!” After the same eight senators — seven Democrats and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Democrats — joined with Republicans in that procedural vote, he called their conciliation “capitulation and a betrayal of working Americans.”
The group of defectors consisted of several senators who are retiring next year, as well as a number of former governors. Since making their moves, several have acknowledged they viewed the deal as imperfect but necessary to end the shutdown, which has meant missed paychecks, stoppages in federal food aid and travel headaches for millions across the country.
Asked by AP about his own efforts to counter Trump, from a bombastic social media presence to last week's successful passage of U.S. House maps for California aimed at countering Trump-backed efforts to do the same for Republicans in other states, Newsom reiterated what he framed as his commitment to go further than others in his party.
“I'm really more alarmed than it appears the eight members of my party are in the United States Senate,” Newsom said. “I'm much more alarmed about the future of our country and the world we're trying to build than they are.”
The Trump administration did not send an official delegation to COP30 in Brazil this week. Newsom, whose state represents the world's fourth-largest economy, is expected to meet with officials from some of the 195 global governments in attendance.
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Meg Kinnard reported from Columbia, South Carolina, and can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP