Vance criticizes Newsom for ‘cheap imitation’ of Trump

Vice President JD Vance criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent attempts to imitate President Donald Trump in a sit-down with Fox News host Will Cain, arguing that he can’t mimic the “king.”

“You can’t mimic the master; you ought to just go and be yourself. And I think the people would like that a lot more than a cheap imitation of the president of the United States,” Vance said.

These comments followed a series of X posts from Newsom’s press office in August that went viral. The posts appeared to copy Trump’s social media writing style – using all caps, nicknaming political opponents and signing off with his initials.

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One post read, “WOW! TOMORROW HISTORY WILL BE MADE. KaroLYIN LEAVITT WILL HAVE NO ANSWERS FOR THE SUPPOSED “FAKE MEDIA” ABOUT CALIFORNIA’S BEAUTIFUL MAPS. PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY ARE THE GREATEST MAPS EVER CREATED — EVEN BETTER THAN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’. DONALD “THE FAILURE” TRUMP BE WARNED, TOMORROW MAY BE THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE. ALL BECAUSE YOU “MISSED THE DEADLINE.” LIBERATION DAY FOR AMERICA!!! — GCN”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom in Sacramento, Calif., on Aug. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Justin Sullivan, Getty Images)

Cain pointed out Newsom’s strategy may be resonating with some blue voters, saying, “His polling numbers have gone way up since he started mimicking President Trump on social media.”

A Morning Consult survey reports that Newsom’s support among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents jumped 8 points from June to the end of August. 

Vance, however, suggested the former San Francisco mayor’s inauthenticity is not what voters want.

“When I see Gavin Newsom trying to act like Donald Trump, that’s the opposite of authenticity. He’s not trying to be Gavin Newsom – whoever that is – he’s trying to be a fake carbon copy of Donald Trump,” he said. “And it just doesn’t work.”

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Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate, speaks at a news conference in New York on Aug. 11, 2025. (Michael M. Santiago, Getty Images)

The vice president also weighed in on New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, saying, “I don’t know the guy, but my sense is he’s had a very good life in this country. It would be nice to occasionally show a sense of gratitude instead of just attacking the United States or all its problems.”

The former Ohio senator contrasted those critiques with what he described as Trump’s influence on the political world, urging Democrats to take note.

“The lesson of President Trump in American politics is you’ve got to be authentic to yourself,” Vance advised.

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“Democrats, the one thing they should learn from President Trump is to laugh at themselves a little bit,” he added. “They don’t have to be so serious, they don’t have to get offended at everything. Sometimes it’s actually a good thing to have a sense of humor about our political process.”

Reflecting on his late grandmother, affectionately dubbed “Mamaw,” Vance said she would be deeply out of step with the state of today’s Democratic Party.

“I think Mamaw would say ‘this is crazy.’ I think she would say the modern Democratic Party doesn’t represent her at all,” he said.

Will Cain’s full interview with Vice President JD Vance will be available on “Will Cain Country” on YouTube Friday.