Gavin Newsom says there's enough evidence of Trump 'trying to light democracy on fire'

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: California Governor Gavin Newsom said during an interview that the evidence is overwhelming that President Donald Trump is actively trying to undermine American democracy.

Speaking at a Bloomberg Newsmaker event in San Francisco on Thursday, January 29, Newsom talked about how Trump has ruined democracy in the US and how he is a danger to the Republic.

The Democratic governor, a prominent critic of Trump, also criticized the Republican leader on other policy fronts, including immigration and foreign affairs, suggesting his broader approach undermines public faith in democratic institutions.

Gavin Newsom slams Trump, calls current situation 'tragic'

Newsom did not mince words when describing Trump’s conduct, saying the president has already shown the nation who he is.

“I mean, what more evidence do we need? This is a stacking of all of these things,” the governor said. 

“He tried to light democracy on fire, he lost the election. Try to light it on fire, try to destroy this democracy trying to ruin our republic. Trying to torch it,” Newsom remarked about Trump's conduct after losing the 2020 election.

He said Trump’s actions should not be viewed as isolated incidents but rather as part of a consistent and escalating pattern.

According to Newsom, the same narrative that fueled election denialism has now seeped into broader governance and enforcement decisions.

“On a day-to-day basis, all of this is part of that same narrative, that same threat. It's tragic what's happening. A five-year-old, angelic young boy, used as leverage and collateral,” the Democrat remarked, referring to Liam Conejo Ramos, detained by federal agents during an ICE operation in Minnesota. 

Gavin Newsom talks about ICE 'terrorizing' communities

Newsom grew visibly emotional as he described what he called the human cost of Trump-era policies, pointing to raids and enforcement actions he said are terrorizing immigrant communities.

“This madness, masked men. Not even identifying themselves. No warrants. Terrorizing communities. People dying quite literally. We said, people will die, people are dying in the United States of America. And what is the threat today to your question?” the governor said. 

"None of this can be normalized," Newsom stressed. "None of this can be considered credible." 

The California politician warned that history will judge this moment harshly if Americans fail to recognize what he sees as a direct threat to democratic norms.

“What more evidence do we need?” Newsom asked again, urging voters to take the warnings seriously before, he said, the damage becomes irreversible.

Newsom has increased his national profile in recent months and is widely discussed as a potential contender in the 2028 presidential election.

Moreover, Newsom's comments echo what a lot of Democratic leaders have been worrying about lately regarding Trump's administration.