‘Everything You Heard Yesterday Was B.S’: California Governor Gavin Newsom Fact Checks Trump’s American Economy Numbers

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday mounted a strong rebuttal to US President Donald Trump’s claims on the American economy, calling recent assertions misleading and economically damaging, during an interaction at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Referring to private-sector performance and corporate activity, Newsom said, “On private sectors [performance], looking at the list, McKenzie, Microsoft, and a few Californic companies, so it’s like what the hell are you talking about.” Addressing the global audience, he added, “For those who are not American, to let you know what’s happening across my country, that’s what’s happening in the USA.”

Tariffs, Deportation, and Jobs Under Scrutiny

Criticising Trump’s economic approach, Newsom said, “His economic policy is not complicated. It’s the tariffs, which are a regressive tax, and mass deportation that is having a major impact on the supply chain.”

Highlighting labour market trends, he said, “Worst job numbers in years in the first year of the Trump administration, 49,000 jobs a month. In Biden’s administration, it was averaging 1,68,000 jobs a month.”

On inflation, Newsom added, “Inflation is not lowering, still at 2.7% in the USA. Everything you heard yesterday was B.S.”

Impact On Farmers, Small Businesses

According to Newsom, the impact of tariff-led policies has been widespread. “It’s impacted by these policies of tariffs that are impacting ranchers, farmers, small business owners,” he said, adding that the celebrated tax cuts were uneven in effect.

“Tax cuts are away from the rich and wealthy, the burden is on the small business and working folks, that policy is being described as America's economic strategy,” Newsom said.

Concluding his remarks, Newsom said, “It’s a failed strategy, it’s a strategy that is impacting all of the USA, including my state (California), which has been very disproportionately affected by these strategies. I’m against these strategies.”

Newsom Flags Cancellation Of His Davos Appearance

Newsom also referred to the cancellation of his scheduled appearance at the World Economic Forum, saying he was blocked from speaking at the USA House pavilion in Davos. Reacting to the development, the California governor said, “California was just denied at the USA House. Last we checked, California is part of the USA.” He questioned the decision to cancel the session, adding, “How weak and pathetic do you have to be to be this scared of a fireside chat?” Newsom said the cancellation came despite California being the largest state economy in the United States and a major contributor to global growth, underscoring what he described as a reluctance to allow alternative economic perspectives at the forum.

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