California Governor Gavin Newsom is facing widespread online criticism after he shared an AI-generated video showing President Donald Trump, Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller in handcuffs with law enforcement officers behind them.
The video, which the White House account described as “It’s cuffing season” — referencing Trump’s deportation efforts — included the caption: “Bad news for criminal illegal aliens. Great news for America.” The clip has garnered over 5.7 million views but has drawn sharp criticism from multiple users who accused Newsom of inciting political violence.
Peter Navarro, who spent four months in prison for refusing a congressional subpoena related to the January 6th Capitol riot, replied: “I went to prison, defending the constitution because of woke assholes like you who Weaponized our justice system. This isn’t close to funny. All you are doing is inciting more violence.”
Actor Dean Cain labeled Newsom an “absolute idiot” in his response. Mark Hemingway stated that if Newsom were to run for president, his base would want him to prosecute Trump administration figures, adding: “This kind of stupid slop makes that a lot harder.” Scott Jennings remarked that winning the Democratic nomination in 2028 would require promising to jail Trump and every appointee.
In response to Navarro’s criticism, Newsom posted a snowflake emoji. Critics highlighted his hypocrisy after he signed legislation restricting AI-generated misleading videos on social media but then posted one himself, with one user noting: “Newsom signed anti 1st amendment laws that would ban this type of content.”
Newsom is widely considered to be building his national profile in preparation for a potential presidential run in 2028.
