Newsom Attacks Trump's Climate Record at UN, Predicts 2026 Midterm Shift

California Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized President Donald Trump's environmental policies at the UN General Assembly and New York Climate Week on September 23–24, 2026, accusing him of abdicating responsibility on climate change. Newsom stated that Trump is "trying to recreate the 19th century" by reopening coal plants, expanding oil drilling including off California's coast, and prioritizing fossil fuels. He called Trump "the most destructive environmental president in American history" and "an invasive species," saying Trump is "doubling down on stupid" and putting the American economy at risk.

Newsom also condemned Democrats for "climate hushing"—avoiding discussion of climate change—since Trump returned to office. He argued this is a strategic mistake, saying Democratic politicians struggle to communicate the issue effectively. Newsom emphasized that climate action and economic concerns are connected, urging Democrats to "connect the dots" between extreme weather, affordability pressures, and kitchen-table issues like food and energy costs. He highlighted California's progress: running on 100% clean electricity nine out of every ten days in 2026 as the world's fourth-largest economy, and declared a state of emergency last week to pre-position assets for climate-related disasters.

Newsom predicted that the November 2026 midterm elections would mark "the end of Donald Trump's presidency as we know it," calling for overwhelming voter turnout to prevent Trump from contesting results. He said courts, Congress, and the public must intervene if Trump attempts to invalidate the election outcome through emergency declarations or other means. While Trump was in New York on September 23, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers responded by calling Newsom's climate focus "whining" and attacking his state's record on crime, homelessness, and wildfire recovery.

Newsom also criticized Trump's approach to artificial intelligence, calling for stronger guardrails rather than allowing AI to develop unchecked. He announced a group of experts to advise on oversight recommendations in California, including exploring a potential "kill switch" for rogue frontier models. During his time in New York, Newsom signed a clean energy agreement with Spain's prime minister and announced progress linking carbon markets between California and Washington state.

Regarding the 2028 presidential race, Newsom previously stated he would not run if Vice President Kamala Harris ran. However, he did not rule out entering if U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decides to run. Newsom has previously sought to counter Trump's climate stance, attending the UN climate talks in Belem, Brazil in 2025 when Trump did not attend. He emphasized that markets are shifting toward clean energy—wind, solar, and large-scale batteries are now abundant and cheap—and that economic competition with China makes climate and clean energy investment strategic.