Trump admin mocks Gavin Newsom for being stuck in ‘Cuck Chair’ after Davos event cancellation
DAVOS, SWITZERLAND: Trump administration officials took shots at California Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday after his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos got canceled.
Instead of speaking, Newsom ended up sitting way in the back during President Trump’s address, a moment that quickly made the rounds on social media and in news reports.
Newsom’s team said the White House and State Department pressured organizers to keep him out of the official US pavilion event, where he was supposed to talk.
Administration posts mocking message
The 'Rapid Response 47' account for President Donald Trump’s White House posted a tweet mocking California Gov Gavin Newsom (D) sitting in a back row during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The failing Governor of California (rampant with fraud) watches from the corner cuck chair as @POTUS delivers a true masterclass in Davos. Embarrassing! pic.twitter.com/mO0hauksNv
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 21, 2026
“The failing Governor of California (rampant with fraud) watches from the corner cuck chair as @POTUS delivers a true masterclass in Davos,” the caption read. 'Embarrassing!'
Newsom’s press office had said that he was 'denied entry into the USA House,' the official American venue for political and business leaders to gather during the WEF, 'following pressure from the White House.'
BREAKING: Under pressure from the White House and State Department, USA House (a church acting as the official US pavilion) is now denying entry to @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom to speak with media after Fortune — the official media partner — invited him to speak.
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 21, 2026
According to KCRA, Newsom’s office 'provided confidential screenshots to corroborate its account of how the cancellation unfolded.'
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly bashed Newsom, “No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California,” she said.
Newsom responds to Admin’s mockery
In response to the administration’s social media post, Newsom posted video clips and commentary on X criticizing Trump’s Davos speech as 'remarkably boring' and underscoring his own scheduled talk that remains on the agenda for Thursday.
He also posted a video clip from when Trump was on stage that included several moments where the president mumbled or trailed off, and the audience was silent.
Yeah, he really left the whole audience speechless. https://t.co/PwzeeS2uJ4 pic.twitter.com/V35tI9NnUz
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 21, 2026
In another tweet, Newsom included a clip of him sitting in the back of the room as Trump spoke about him, with an added musical soundtrack and the caption 'rent free.'
Newsom had a speaking engagement scheduled Wednesday, his spokesman told KCRA, but it was skipped during the livestream without any announcement as to the cancellation or reason therefore.
Newsom’s office maintained that the cancellation was linked to 'pressure from the White House and State Department,' though no direct evidence was publicly cited.
He has another one on Thursday that is still on the schedule.
Newsom remains scheduled to participate in other events at the forum and said his presence at Davos will continue despite the setback.