«Just get it over with», replied Gavin Newsom.
Escalating protests
Faced with an increasingly tense situation in Los Angeles, marked by escalating protests, Donald Trump inflamed the crisis with a series of posts on his social network, unilaterally ordering the deployment of the National Guard without California's consent, and even threatening to send in the Marines.
The crisis
In response, Governor Gavin Newsom, in an interview with MSNBC and NBC News, directly accused Trump of having created this crisis himself by his actions and those of ICE, and challenged him and his border czar, Tom Homan, who threatened to arrest him if he obstructed the ICE raids, saying: «Arrest me. Let’s go.»
The riots
On Truth Social, Trump stepped up his attacks on the governor, calling him "Gavin Newscum" and accusing him of being incompetent, incapable of doing his job. He also demanded that he apologize to Los Angeles residents for the ongoing riots, in criticism that was also aimed at the city's mayor.
Tom Homan
According to NBC News, Donald Trump reinforced Tom Homan's statements over the weekend that he would not hesitate to arrest anyone who opposed ICE operations, a message that also targeted the governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles.
«He knows where to find me»
In response, Gavin Newsom replied: «Just get it over with» in an interview, adding wryly, «Tough guy. Why doesn’t he do that? He knows where to find me» taking direct aim at Tom Homan and his boss, Donald Trump.
«stone cold liar»
Newsom also called the president a «stone cold liar», categorically denying claims that the protests had been discussed during a 20-minute phone call between him and Trump the previous Friday, declaring: «This issue never came up».
«I would do it if I were Tom»
The day after the governor's statements, asked by a reporter about Gavin Newsom's comments, Donald Trump replied that he'd love to see the California governor arrested: «I would do it if I were Tom.»