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Gavin Newsom used his final State of the State address Thursday to cast California as a bulwark against what he called a chaotic federal government, arguing that President Donald Trump’s approach threatens “our values” even as the governor nears the end of eight years leading the nation’s most populous state. Speaking to lawmakers in Sacramento, the Democrat said California must stand up to Trump rather than accept policies he described as protecting the powerful at the expense of the vulnerable.
“The federal government, respectfully, it’s unrecognizable, protecting the powerful at the expense of the vulnerable,” Newsom said, accusing the Trump administration of governing through fear. He also characterized Trump’s approach as a “carnival of chaos,” citing National Guard deployments to Democratic-led cities, disputes over food aid and cuts to medical research.
Newsom, who is eyeing a 2028 presidential run, defended his record and said he was committed to tackling the state’s “thorniest issues” even without a stable partner in Washington. He said California should serve as a national model as it defends its policies from what he called federal overreach, noting that the state has sued the Trump administration more than 50 times.
The governor spent part of the speech emphasizing policy progress on homelessness and public safety. He said unsheltered homelessness dropped 9% last year, describing the number as based on data local officials reported after conducting an annual estimate of homeless people in their communities.
Newsom also highlighted the state’s work after the Los Angeles-area fires that killed 31 people and destroyed neighborhoods, saying he pressed Congress and Trump for nearly $34 billion to help the region recover. He faulted the federal government for not responding to the request and said it was “time for the president of the United States to do his job,” rather than “turn his back on Americans who happen to live in the great state of California.” Survivors of the fires were in the audience.
On crime and housing, Newsom called for action against large investors buying affordable homes, arguing the practice is driving up rents and shutting families out of homeownership. He also pointed to falling homicide rates in Oakland and San Francisco and said California sent $267 million to law enforcement agencies in 2023 to help combat retail and property crime, while highlighting California Highway Patrol crime prevention work in Bakersfield, San Bernardino, Stockton and other cities.
Republicans largely did not speak during the address, and they argued afterward that Newsom has not done enough to address high electricity and gas prices. State Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, who represents part of the Inland Empire region, said, “After years of one-party rule under Gov. Gavin Newsom, the results don’t match the rhetoric. While the governor takes victory laps, families are taking extra shifts.”
In a statement, the White House said Newsom’s policies “have completely destroyed the great state of California.” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson added that Newsom should have focused more on plans to undo the damage done to California and used Trump’s favored nickname for the governor in describing the speech.
Newsom’s remarks also reflected how he has adapted the State of the State presentation in recent years. It was the first time he delivered the address in person since 2022, and he referenced his dyslexia, saying it makes it difficult to read from a written text live, adding, “It’s always been something that I have to work through.” In other years, he had submitted the address in writing to lawmakers or used different formats, including a prerecorded speech posted online and a tour of the state to announce policies aimed at tackling homelessness and mental health crises.
The speech came as Newsom is scheduled to release his proposed budget Friday after years of fiscal strain from repeated shortfalls. In earlier annual addresses, he has emphasized California’s economic growth and technology, while responding to critiques about high living costs and the state’s large homeless population; this year he dismissed critics as suffering from “California Derangement Syndrome,” echoing Trump’s use of a similar phrase.