Ex-Marine Joey Jones blasts Gavin Newsom over 'Trump is temporary' remark at Munich conference

At the Munich Security Conference, Gavin Newsom told CNN’s Kate Bolduan that Donald Trump is 'temporary' and will lose in the midterms
PUBLISHED FEB 15, 2026
Joey Jones criticized Gavin Newsom after he dismissed Donald Trump at Munich, arguing America First will outlast the governor’s claims (X/@GavinNewsom, Fox News)
Joey Jones criticized Gavin Newsom after he dismissed Donald Trump at Munich, arguing America First will outlast the governor’s claims (X/@GavinNewsom, Fox News)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: California Governor Gavin Newsom was criticized by Fox News contributor and retired Marine Joey Jones after the governor dismissed President Donald Trump as a fleeting figure at the Munich Security Conference. The remarks come as Gavin Newsom positions himself as a potential 2028 presidential contender.

Joey Jones, a combat-wounded veteran, used a recent Fox News segment to counter Gavin Newsom’s narrative and argue for the staying power of Donald Trump’s "America First" agenda.

Gavin Newsom calls Trump ‘temporary’ at Munich conference

As mentioned, Gavin Newsom made the comments at the Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of world leaders focused on transatlantic relations and emerging threats.

"Well, I'm here in many respects to remind everyone that Trump is temporary," Gavin Newsom said during an interview with CNN's Kate Bolduan on Saturday. "He'll be gone in a matter of months."

“Trump’s going to get shellacked in the midterms. He knows that,” he added. “The world, I think, is becoming more and more familiar with that reality.”



The remarks came as Gavin Newsom addressed concerns from European allies about US isolationism under Donald Trump. Labeled the "pretend president" by Fox News chyrons during live coverage, the governor used the stage to tout California's progressive model on issues such as climate change and immigration, contrasting it with what he described as Donald Trump's disruptive approach.

"Donald Trump is temporary. California's leadership is not," he posted on social media shortly after, alongside a clip of his remarks. The California Democrat also called the president an “increasingly weak” leader who is “masquerading as strong." According to Newsom, this “will open the door again to diplomacy and common sense.”

Joey Jones defends Trump legacy

Joey Jones, a frequent Fox News analyst and author of 'Unbroken Bonds of Battle,' was candid in his response during an appearance on 'The Big Weekend Show.' The 38-year-old, who lost both legs in a 2010 IED explosion in Afghanistan, framed Gavin Newsom’s dismissal as naive and shortsighted.

"America first is not temporary. The effect of Donald Trump on this country is not temporary, and that should be the scariest thing in the world to Democrats," Jones declared.

He suggested that Donald Trump’s influence has reshaped the Republican Party in ways that outlast any single leader. 



"Donald Trump knows Donald Trump is temporary. Why do you think he's at it again? Why do you think he wanted a second term? Why do you think it's so important to him to leave a legacy that changes this country back in the direction it went for so long and was so prosperous?" he asked rhetorically.

"To think that Donald Trump is temporary as a negative thing for Republicans or a positive thing for Democrats, that might show the lack of political acumen that Gavin Newsom has more than anything I've seen," Jones added.

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