Newsom's rare Trump praise turns heads as California backs his move for children

WASHINGTON, DC: California Governor Gavin Newsom has raised eyebrows with his surprising compliment for President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

Time and again, Newsom has repeatedly clashed with Trump, from public spats to social media trolling to occasional policy commentary.

Gavin Newsom endorses Trump's investment account program

In rare praise for President Trump, Gavin Newsom endorsed the Trump administration’s investment account program for children and foster youth initiatives.

During a press conference on his CalKIDS program, a similar state-level initiative, Newsom said he was “enthusiastic about encouraging people to get a Trump Account.”

“I think it’s incredibly important. It’s one of the best things [Trump’s] done,” he added.

Newsom also credited Texas Sen Ted Cruz (R) and New Jersey Sen Cory Booker (D) for their work on the initiative.

The Trump Account will include a $1,000 investment from the federal government for children born during Trump’s second term. The scheme became available last month.

“We’re here to encourage people to take advantage of this, to not fall prey to the politics or the cynicism or maybe even the fear that if I download a Trump Account, somehow that means something,” Newsom said. “It doesn’t. It just means something for your kid.”

“It’s not Trump’s money; it’s your child’s money,” he added.

Gavin Newsom credits Melania Trump on foster youth

When asked about the first lady’s initiative called 'Fostering the Future', for young students, Newsom remarked that Melania Trump deserves credit.

‘Fostering the Future’ is the US administration’s initiative launched by Melania Trump, intended to help young children transitioning out of the foster care system.

It provides scholarships, career preparation, and higher-education opportunities through a growing alliance of dozens of universities to achieve financial independence.

“Melania Trump deserves a lot of credit because this was one of the gaps with the Trump Accounts is … there [were] eligibility issues around custodial eligibility, meaning guardians, parents, so foster kids in many respects may fall through the cracks,” Newsom said.

“I said, ‘I didn’t know about this, governor,’” Newsom recalled telling Arizona Gov Doug Ducey.

“And so absolutely, not only are we going to sign up and make sure that our foster kids are eligible, but I just put in a request as part of the three-party negotiation with the legislature in the next two weeks, appropriations dollars to back up that commitment.”

Affordability drives Newsom's 2028 political strategy

Gavin Newsom has turned affordable childcare into a political manifesto and launched a free diaper program earlier this year.

The Democrat is publicly weighing a run for president in 2028, a race in which affordability is expected to be a key issue.