Overview
- Speaking to reporters in Davos, Newsom said leaders were "rolling over," quipped he should have brought kneepads, and called their posture "pathetic."
- He urged European capitals to "stand tall" and "have a backbone," insisting they stop being complicit in dealings with the president.
- Newsom likened Trump to a "T‑Rex," warning that appeasement fails because "you mate with him or he devours you."
- The confrontation is set against Trump’s drive for U.S. control of Greenland and threats of new tariffs on European countries, drawing warnings from leaders such as Ursula von der Leyen of a united response using trade defenses.
- Trump is scheduled to address the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, with Newsom set to deliver a formal speech on Thursday.