California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) urged European leaders to adopt a firmer public stance toward President Donald Trump during an interview at the World Economic Forum, warning that private criticism paired with public accommodation risks allowing Trump to reshape global affairs according to his own preferences.
In a Sky News interview, Newsom said of Trump: “The goal is the world in his image.” He added: “I hope it’s dawning on the world what we’re up against.”
Newsom described Trump as “unmoored” and “unhinged,” stating: “He’s not mad, he’s very intentional but he’s unmoored and he’s unhinged. The goal is whatever he wants it to be. The goal is the world in his image. He’s a narcissist.”
A stronger attitude towards Donald Trump is required, says Gavin Newsom as he speaks to Sky News in Davos.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 20, 2026
Gavin Newsom says the EU should 'stop doing what they are doing' or they could be 'devoured' by the US president. pic.twitter.com/9mZmAvsmBG
He criticised what he called “diplomacy of sort-of niceties” and urged Europe to end complicity. “Stop saying one thing privately and another publicly,” Newsom said. “Have some spine. Have some [expletive] balls.”
Newsom likened negotiations with Trump to confronting a “T-Rex”: “You mate with him or he devours you, one or the other.” He warned that continued passivity could lead to Europe being “devoured,” adding: “A year ago we should have been having this conversation and they didn’t, okay? And now you’re paying the price.”
The comments were made amid renewed transatlantic tensions following President Trump’s repeated threats of tariffs on European allies opposing U.S. efforts to gain control of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. Trump has described Greenland as essential for U.S. national security and Arctic dominance, stating the United States must have “complete and total control” of the island and has not ruled out military options to achieve it, according to a Reuters report. European leaders, including Danish officials, have rejected the idea of any sale or transfer of sovereignty, with Denmark maintaining that Greenland is not for sale.
Newsom also referenced domestic U.S. events, including recent military deployments. “You saw what happened in the state of California where he put 700 active duty Marines,” he said. “He’s got a hundred—1,500 active folks, members of military—on call near Minneapolis.” The remarks appear to refer to the Trump administration’s use of active-duty military personnel in domestic law enforcement operations, including border security and immigration enforcement, which have drawn criticism from state officials and civil liberties groups over potential overreach and militarization of civilian policing.
