Newsom says he likes standing up for ‘vulnerable communities'(Image: Getty)California governor Gavin Newsom has disclosed his “biggest fear” regarding US President Donald Trump. The Democratic leader has frequently butted heads with the President throughout his tenure.
In June, he challenged Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan to “come and get me” after Homan declared he would detain anyone willing to obstruct National Guard and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The ICE raids triggered widespread demonstrations across California last month, reports the Express.
“It’s a felony to impede law enforcement doing their job,” Homan declared. Newsom then responded on Twitter: “Trump’s border czar is threatening to arrest me for speaking out. Come and get me, tough guy.”
Speaking on the Diary of a CEO podcast, Newsom has now stated he maintains an unwavering position against anyone who targets “vulnerable communities”. He explained: “I don’t like people scapegoating vulnerable communities. My why is standing up for ideals and striking out injustice.
“It defines nine out of 10 things for me, personal, professional, standing up for ideals and striking out injustice. It’s just to me, unjust to see people demeaned and belittled and to see vulnerable communities used as pawns, to talk about alligator whatever in Florida and talk about immigrants and demean them in ways and say they have to zig and zag if they want to avoid getting killed by an alligator or mocking people with disabilities.”
Gavin Newsom has addressed his ‘biggest fear’ about Donald Trump(Image: Getty)“That’s where I stand firm. Right now, my biggest fear is that if you asked about how our country is, I feel like Trump has opened that overturned window in a way that I’m very concerned to get back to find our better humanity.”
President Trump recently nicknamed a new immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades “Alligator Alcatraz”. He humorously suggested that the facility would offer escapees lessons on evading the alligators that inhabit the wetlands alongside pythons and crocodiles.
He quipped: “Snakes are fast but alligators, we’re going to teach them how to run away from an alligator if they escape prison. How to run away? Don’t run in a straight line, run like this [making a zig zagged gesture]. You know what? Your chances go up about one per cent.”
Newsom and Trump have regularly disagreed(Image: Getty)The facility is expected to house around 3,000 detainees and is estimated to cost approximately $450mannually to operate.
In addition, Trump has faced criticism for previously mocking individuals with disabilities. At a 2015 campaign rally, he imitated reporter Serge Kovaleski, who has a congenital joint condition, to support his controversial claim that “thousands” of Muslims in New Jersey celebrated the 9/11 attacks.
During his campaign, Trump also labeled his opponent Kamala Harris as “mentally disabled”.