California Governor Gavin Newsom accused President Donald Trump of attempting to undermine American democracy during a wide-ranging interview with Bloomberg, warning that the country is facing a serious threat to its constitutional order. Newsom said Trump’s actions amount to an effort to dismantle democratic norms and destabilize the republic itself.

“He’s trying to ruin our republic. He’s trying to torch it. What more evidence do we need on a day-to-day basis?” Newsom said during the interview. “All of this is part of that same narrative, that same thread. It’s tragic what’s happening.”

What more evidence do we need that Donald Trump is trying to ruin our republic?

Because of HIS actions people are quite literally dying in the United States of America. pic.twitter.com/RKrMMjSHEp

— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 29, 2026

Newsom framed his remarks around what he described as a pattern of conduct tied to election integrity, federal law enforcement actions, and immigration enforcement. He referenced ongoing disputes involving the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and federal authorities, arguing that these actions are being used as political leverage and are contributing to fear and instability in communities across the country.

The governor pointed specifically to concerns about federal involvement in election-related matters, including actions tied to voting records and renewed claims questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 election. Newsom said these efforts are designed to erode public confidence ahead of future elections, including the upcoming midterms. He described the continued promotion of election fraud narratives as a deliberate attempt to lay the groundwork for rejecting future election outcomes.

Newsom also raised alarms about immigration enforcement tactics, describing situations in which masked federal agents allegedly carried out operations without clear identification or warrants. He said these actions are terrorizing communities and warned that the consequences are no longer theoretical. “People are dying,” Newsom said, adding that such outcomes had been predicted if enforcement practices continued in their current form.

During the interview, Newsom rejected the idea that Democrats should shut down the federal government in response to these developments, but emphasized that the stakes extend beyond partisan strategy. He said preserving democratic institutions is essential as the country approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, warning that the continuation of current practices could put the nation’s long-term democratic project at risk.