Newsom press office faces backlash over AI image mocking governor’s awkward sitting pose

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Governor of California Gavin Newsom, recently became the subject of ridicule after a video of him sitting with his legs tightly crossed at the New York Times DealBook Summit went viral. Critics dubbed his posture awkward, and his press team’s response to the pose triggered a fresh wave of backlash.

Gavin Newsom’s controversial sitting pose

During his appearance at the Summit on Wednesday, December 3, Newsom was filmed sitting with his legs sharply crossed and his left foot drawn far from his body. The unusual posture sparked immediate social media reaction, with many mocking the pose as awkward or uncomfortable.

In response, Newsom’s press office posted an exaggerated, AI-generated image of the governor in a comically contorted, yoga-style pose, clearly a parody of the original criticism. They captioned the post, “Democracy requires flexibility.” However, the attempt at humor backfired.

One social media commenter reacted with "This is hilarious but not for the reasons you think."

Another user joked about future political ambitions "Everyone screenshot this for when he runs for president."

One person made a playful remark about age "at least he flexible despite being a senior citizen"

A sarcastic fan commented "Who runs this account, I want to work with you."

Another post offered a humorous observation with a twist "This isn’t the own you think it is. It just means Gavin likes to be twisted in a pretzel, Also, is the the same kind of flexibility that Obama was talking to Russia about? Or no?"

Someone else hoped for a lighter explanation "I’m hoping this account was hacked because there’s NO WAY Gavin would mock himself this bad & hilarious"

Gavin Newsom press office posting memes

Newsom himself acknowledged the post on X, reacting with a simple “WOW!” in response to the viral backlash. Critics questioned the professionalism of the press office, arguing that the image undercut Newsom’s gravitas just as he is widely considered a potential candidate for higher office.

The Governor's press office has repeatedly embraced memes, all-caps posts, AI-generated images, and parody content as a core feature of its messaging strategy. On Labor Day 2025, the office posted a meme portraying White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as a flamboyant character from The Hunger Games, mocking her role under the caption “KAROLYIN’ LEAVITT says Happy Labor Day!” 

Similarly, in November 2025, the account used AI-generated imagery to taunt President Trump, calling him “Piggy” in response to a widely publicized remark, and shared doctored memes to amplify the jab. The strategy reflects a deliberate “meme-war” style—a blend of satire, trolling, and political messaging designed to go viral and draw attention.