A heated war of words erupted this week between the Trump administration and California Gov. Gavin Newsom after the Democrat governor mocked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The exchange began after Bessent appeared on a Davos panel and discussed long-term housing investments, noting that some families may be purchasing multiple properties as part of retirement planning. Newsom reshared a video clip of the remarks on social media, dismissively referring to Bessent as “smug” and questioning whether the Trump official was out of touch with everyday Americans.
Bessent responded swiftly — and sharply.
Speaking with a Fox Business reporter in Davos, the Treasury Secretary accused Newsom of being “too smug, too self-absorbed, and too economically illiterate,” before delivering a biting characterization that quickly made headlines.
“Governor Newsom strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken,” Bessent said, adding that Newsom may understand economics even less than Vice President Kamala Harris.
Bessent also criticized Newsom’s record as governor, pointing to California’s strict pandemic policies and arguing that ordinary citizens were punished while political elites lived by different rules.
The tension didn’t end there.
Newsom was later seated near Bessent’s staff during a Fox Business panel at Davos, where he reportedly took notes and reacted skeptically to several claims made by the Treasury Secretary. Among them were assertions that increased domestic energy production has helped drive gasoline prices lower, that inflation pressures are easing under President Trump, and that Americans could see meaningful income growth in the coming year, according to a senior CBS News reporter in attendance.
Despite the public sparring, President Donald Trump struck a more conciliatory tone during his own Davos address on Wednesday.
“We’re going to help the people in California. We want no crime,” Trump said. “I used to get along very well with Gavin when I was president. He’s a good guy.”
Those remarks stood in contrast to comments Newsom made just a day earlier, when he urged European leaders not to “roll over” for Trump and mocked world officials for what he described as weak leadership in response to U.S. pressure on global issues, including Greenland.
Newsom’s international appearances have drawn criticism from the White House, which accused the governor of undermining the United States abroad while failing to address serious problems at home.
“Gavin Newsom should focus less on criticizing the country overseas and more on addressing the serious problems facing his state,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai said.
The California governor, widely viewed as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, has faced growing scrutiny from conservatives who see his Davos presence as part of a broader effort to elevate his national profile.
Earlier this week, Trump acknowledged that his relationship with Newsom has deteriorated since his first term.
“We had a very good relationship — close to exceptional — but now we don’t,” the president said.
Newsom is scheduled to deliver his own remarks in Davos one day after Trump, ensuring the clash between the two political figures remains in the spotlight.