Gavin Newsom decries threats to democracy while criticizing Trump’s immigration policies.

California Governor Gavin Newsom delivered a sharp address on Tuesday night, taking direct aim at President Donald Trump’s decision to federalize the National Guard and deploy Marines in Los Angeles amid ongoing protests. Newsom, a Democrat with presidential ambitions for 2028, criticized Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement measures during a speech intended for a wider national audience following several days of unrest between demonstrators and law enforcement. “This is about all of us.

This is about you. California may be the first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next.

Democracy is under assault before our eyes. This moment we have feared has arrived,” Newsom stated emphatically. He warned that authoritarian regimes typically begin by targeting vulnerable populations but do not stop there.

Since the protests erupted on Friday, Trump activated thousands of National Guard members without soliciting Newsom’s request and dispatched over 700 Marines to California. The president has also launched personal attacks against Newsom, insinuating that he should be arrested after Newsom’s challenge to “border czar” Tom Homan. Trump, describing Newsom as “grossly incompetent,” said he would take action if he were Homan.

In his speech, Newsom asserted that Trump has a history of endorsing violence when beneficial for his agenda. “Trump and his loyalists thrive on division because it allows them to gain more power and control. He is not opposed to lawlessness and violence, as long as it serves him,” said Newsom, referencing the January 6 Capitol riot.

He concluded by stating, “The rule of law has increasingly given way to the rule of Don.” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell reported that protests resulted in considerable unrest, with 378 arrests since Saturday. A curfew was implemented in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday evening.

Nationwide, demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration policies have also emerged in cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta.