White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Wednesday accused California Gov. Gavin Newsom of inciting “violence and terrorism” with comments he made on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
During his Tuesday night appearance, Newsom criticized the Trump administration’s ICE raids targeting undocumented immigrants, using extremely inflammatory and hyperbolic language mixed in with some patent falsehoods.
“Masked men jumping out of unmarked cars; people disappearing; no due process; no oversight; zero accountability happening in the United States of America today,” Newsom said. “People ask, ‘Well is authoritarianism you being hyperbolic?’ Bullsh*t we’re being hyperbolic. If you’re black and brown community, it’s here in this country.”
“These are not just authoritarian tendencies; these are authoritarian actions by an authoritarian government,” the likely 2028 presidential contender added before saying he would “push back” if masked ICE agents in an unmarked car tried to apprehend him.
“I fear that we will not have an election in 2028,” Newsom incredulously told Colbert on Tuesday. “I really mean that. At the core of my soul unless we wake up to the ‘Code Red,’ what’s happening in this country.”
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Miller declared on the X platform: “This language incites violence and terrorism.”
Newsom’s comments came only hours before a gunman attacked an ICE facility in Dallas, killing one person and wounding several others. FBI Director Kash Patel said the shooter had etched “ANTI ICE” on shell casings recovered at the scene.
“Last night, Gavin Newsom called for people to ‘push back’ against ICE agents,” wrote Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) in response to the shooting. “Today, an anti-ICE radical shot up a Dallas ICE facility. This is a direct result of the Left’s anti-ICE rhetoric.”
Newsom’s remarks came on the heels of legislation he signed that was passed by the Democratic supermajorities in the state legislature banning, among other things, ICE agents from wearing masks to protect their identities.
They also come amid a growing rash of shootings at ICE facilities and attacks on immigration and federal law enforcement officials for months as he and other Democrats continue to describe Trump administration officials and federal officers as “Nazis” and members of the “Gestapo,” which was Adolph Hitler’s secret police.
Newsom’s comments also followed the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a September event at Utah Valley University.
Newsom’s remarks drew heavy criticism online.
“For a bunch of people that like to call everyone ‘Nazis,’ they sure do act like Nazis,” one user responded.
“There have been so many defections from the Democrat party all that will be remaining will be extreme in their views. Very dangerous,” said another.
“Only the Democrats would go to war in their own country against the ppl of their country. For ppl from other countries. That is some messed up stuff,” another user wrote.
“Using language to incite rebellion. Sedition / Conduct or language inciting rebellion against the authority of a state,” another user noted.
“Gavin Newsom should face accountability of some sort,” yet another opined.
Vice President JD Vance on Thursday vehemently accused Democrats and the “left-wing media” — singling out Newsom — of misrepresenting the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“When democratic politicians encourage doxing, when they encourage us to unmask ICE enforcement officers, what do you think is going to happen?” Vance asked.