Arizona Tribune - Meme-lord Newsom riles Republicans with Trump-trolling posts

Newsom -- hotly-tipped for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination -- has been parodying Trump with a series of posts written in the Republican leader's distinct style that he hopes will show his party how to beat the social media master at his own game.

In recent weeks the governor has posted all manner of manipulated images depicting him in the kind of over-the-top vignettes popular among Trump's "MAGA" movement -- superimposing his face on Mount Rushmore and appearing to pray with MAGA favorites Tucker Carlson, Kid Rock and Hulk Hogan.

When Trump's one-word weekend post -- saying simply "Bela" -- left the president's supporters scratching their heads, Newsom posted a screenshot alongside his own caption: "DONALD (TINY HANDS), HAS WRITTEN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY THIS MORNING — UNFORTUNATELY (LOW IQ) HE SPELLED IT WRONG — 'BETA.'"

The 57-year-old Democrat mocked Trump's salesman-like rhetorical style in a post about redistricting plans that he said had led "MANY" people to call him "GAVIN CHRISTOPHER 'COLUMBUS' NEWSOM (BECAUSE OF THE MAPS!)."

And he has taken to ending his posts with the much-mocked sign-off that Trump, 79, made famous: "THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!"

The tweets have quickly gained currency among Newsom's supporters, who have shared their own "Trumpian" memes of a shirtless Newsom with bulging muscles, brandishing pistols or riding into battle on a velociraptor.

- 'Newsom Derangement Syndrome' -

The governor called Trump's late-night social media tirades "pathetic," telling historian and podcast host Heather Cox Richardson that people who normally "can't stand" politicians had been reaching out to compliment his new approach.

"And they're maybe paying attention to the childishness that is Donald Trump, that we've allowed him to normalize -- the way he communicates, talking down to us, looking past us," Newsom said.

"I've got kids, and I've got a whole generation of people who thinks this is normal. It is not, and it can't be normalized, and that's big part of what we're also pushing back against."

The posts are garnering the attention of X's algorithm while sparking the ire of Republicans, conservative-leaning political commentators and the right-wing media.

Dana Perino, an anchor on Fox News, slammed Newsom's new strategy, telling viewers: "If I were his wife, I would say you are making a fool of yourself, stop it."

"NDS - Newsom Derangement Syndrome is a real thing," Republican political consultant Mike Madrid posted on X, retooling the Republican accusation of "Trump Derangement Syndrome" levied to dismiss criticism of the president.

- 'Inside joke' -

The snark appears to be working.

The number of followers of Newsom's official press office account on X -- where the cheeky announcement are being posted -- has soared by 450 percent since mid-June, according to CNN, with huge strides also seen on Instagram and TikTok.

Daily Google searches for Newsom are up 500 percent since August 1, the network reported.

Newsom says the MAGA-coded posts are not only annoying Republicans, but redefining how Democrats can provide an effective opposition to one of the most media-savvy leaders ever to occupy the White House.

Asked for comment, the White House shared with AFP an image it had initially sent US publication Politico repurposing a scene from the show "Mad Men" to demonstrate that Trump is not just unfazed, but doesn't think about Newsom at all.

Politico had called it the first official White House press statement delivered exclusively in meme form.

Jeff Le, a deputy cabinet secretary for previous California governor Jerry Brown, said Newsom was responding to widespread discontent at the Democratic Party's perceived lack of fight when it comes to Trump -- and the yawning leadership vacuum.

"His messaging has helped introduce him in a tongue-and-cheek manner that reflects the inside joke that many digital native Democrats understand," Le told AFP.

But he added that the strategy was "not without risk."

"If there is a terrible natural disaster -- a catastrophic fire or mudslide -- it's fair to say that the White House keeps score," he said, "and the president may be less inclined to provide timely federal government support and funding for the response."

O.Brown--AT