California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticized senior Trump administration official Stephen Miller on January 12, 2026.
In the message, Newsom wrote: “Across the country and under Stephen Miller’s maniacal agenda, @realDonaldTrump’s masked agents are terrorizing communities, violently and recklessly conducting arrests, and lying about their actions. This isn’t about safety or the law, it’s about absolute power and control.”
The post directly accuses Miller, who serves as a key advisor and deputy chief of staff in the Trump White House with significant influence over immigration policy, of driving what Newsom describes as a “maniacal agenda.” Newsom highlights the use of masked federal agents—likely referring to personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or related Department of Homeland Security operations—who he claims are conducting aggressive arrests nationwide without proper transparency or accountability.
This statement fits into the ongoing feud between Newsom and Miller, two prominent figures on opposite sides of the immigration debate. Miller has long been a leading architect of strict immigration enforcement policies, including during Trump’s first term and now in his current role shaping homeland security and border initiatives. Newsom, as governor of California—a state with a large immigrant population and sanctuary policies—has repeatedly opposed federal immigration crackdowns, framing them as overreach that targets communities rather than upholding legitimate law enforcement.
By centering his criticism on Miller personally and labeling the approach “maniacal,” Newsom underscores his view that the operations prioritize control over public safety or legal standards. The tweet drew immediate reactions, with responses ranging from supportive comments to criticism accusing Newsom of downplaying law enforcement needs or hypocrisy on state issues.
