California Governor Gavin Newsom intensified his political rivalry with President Donald Trump by sharing a popular TikTok video that pokes fun at the president’s social media habits, set to Taylor Swift’s hit song “You Need to Calm Down.” The video, uploaded on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, came as tensions rose over federal immigration enforcement actions in Los Angeles.
The TikTok post included screenshots from a recent Truth Social post where Trump dubbed the governor “Gavin Newscum.” Newsom paired these shots with lyrics from Swift’s song that mention expressing things online versus in person, and included images of himself and Trump in conversation. The video ended with a caption branding Trump as “America’s keyboard warrior.”
Newsom’s post was timed to coincide with a major federal move in Los Angeles, where Trump authorized the deployment of approximately 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines—without the governor’s approval. This action followed what the administration characterized as unrest connected to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that began Friday, June 6.
In response, California officials filed a lawsuit challenging the federal deployment. Attorney General Rob Bonta stated at a press conference on Monday, June 9, that there was no invasion or rebellion present in California. Bonta accused the president of misusing his authority by federalizing the California National Guard.
The dispute escalated when Trump backed the suggestion that Newsom should be arrested for hindering immigration enforcement efforts. At a press briefing, Trump said he would support such an arrest if he were border czar Tom Homan, who had already publicly argued that Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass could face legal consequences for resisting federal operations.
In return, Newsom sharply criticized Trump, calling his actions a clear move toward authoritarianism. The governor also rejected claims from the White House about a phone call between himself and Trump. White House spokesperson Steven Cheung alleged the president told Newsom in a call to get his act together, but Newsom denied any such conversation, writing on X that Trump was “a stone-cold liar.”
The choice of Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” for Newsom’s TikTok carries added meaning beyond its lyrics. The song, released during Pride Month in 2019 and included on Swift’s Lover album, is recognized for its strong pro-LGBTQ+ message, adding another dimension to Newsom’s political statement amid the ongoing dispute.
Meanwhile, the federal crackdown on immigration has sparked protests across various cities. In addition to the widely attended No Kings demonstrations across the country on June 14, demonstrations have spread from Los Angeles to Seattle, New York City, Austin, Chicago, and Washington D.C., with participants holding signs opposing ICE operations and blocking traffic in downtown districts and outside federal offices.
This conflict has also underscored TikTok’s role as a major platform for political discourse. The app has become increasingly central to political messaging, being used by both public figures and critics to reach younger demographics and influence public sentiment on policy matters.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned lawmakers that Trump’s order sending the National Guard to Los Angeles could set a precedent for similar deployments in other states. He suggested that if unrest broke out elsewhere and law enforcement was endangered, the administration would be ready to send National Guard units as needed.
Initial protests in Los Angeles led to multiple arrests and outbreaks of violence. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Emiliano Garduno-Galvez, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, for throwing a Molotov cocktail at agents during the unrest. The Department of Homeland Security noted Garduno-Galvez had previously been deported and had a criminal history in the US, including grand theft and DUI charges.
The ongoing clash between California officials and the Trump administration has become a defining battle over the balance of state and federal power in immigration enforcement.
