Newsom trolls Trump once again with MAGA-style merch, Bibles
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Screenshot: @GavinNewsom/X
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is doing more than just mocking President Trump's signature social media style: It seems he's now borrowing the president's brand — and hawking familiar headwear.
Why it matters: Trump and his affiliated entities have monetized his agenda for years, pushing sneakers, perfume, Bibles and, of course, the red Make America Great Again trucker hats.
Driving the news: Newsom has continued his trolling tour amid a high-stakes redistricting war by encouraging his supporters to purchase gear from his "PATRIOT SHOP."
- Mimicking Trump's lofty assertions, Newsom wrote in a Sunday X post, "MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THIS IS THE GREATEST MERCHANDISE EVER MADE."
The intrigue: Some of the merchandise, displayed on a site that features branding for Newsom's Campaign for Democracy PAC, is an obvious satire of Trump's products.
- In a Friday press conference, Trump donned a red cap that boasted "TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!"
- Now, supporters of Newsom can counter that claim with their own hyperbolic headgear: a bright red hat that reads, "NEWSOM WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!"
- "Humility is overrated," the product's description states, noting purchases are donations to Gavin Newsom For Governor.
Zoom out: The store also says it offers $100 Bibles, which it says are "Union Printed and Made-In-USA" and signed by Newsom — but as of Sunday afternoon, the texts were listed as sold out.
- Last year, Trump promoted the "God Bless the USA Bible."
- While he endorsed the product, its website states that none of the money garnered from the Bible sales went toward then-candidate Trump's presidential campaign. But he did earn royalty payments from that and other products, NBC reported.
Another product on Newsom's site is a simple tank with red text that reads, "TRUMP IS NOT HOT."
- Trump's used that phrasing himself, including in a dig at pop superstar Taylor Swift, who publicly endorsed former Vice President Harris.
Context: The webstore is administered by Bright Blue Ink, a Texas printshop, "on behalf of Campaign For Democracy Committee," per the site.
- Bright Blue Ink's webpage says it also develops campaign webstores, listing several Democratic campaigns and causes the company has worked with.
State of play: Newsom and his team have made trolling Trump a deliberate part of their communications strategy, turning the president's often brash style against him.
- That's been evident on his social media pages, which feature several all-caps messages signed with GCN (a riff on DJT's signature).
- The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
The bottom line: Read the fine (all-caps) print the next time someone walks by sporting a red hat.
Go deeper: Exclusive: Newsom pollster sees big support for California redistricting
