Overview

• Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli asked the Secret Service to conduct a threat assessment after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office posted on X, "Kristi Noem is going to have a bad day today. You’re welcome, America."
• The Secret Service said it received the Justice Department’s communication and will evaluate any perceived threat to protectees, and no charges or enforcement actions have been reported.
• Newsom’s team said the post referred to his signing of bills in California that prohibit most law enforcement, including federal immigration agents, from concealing their faces and require officers to identify themselves.
• DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the post "reads like a threat," White House communications director Steven Cheung called it "totally disgusting," and Newsom’s press office mocked the criticism with a meme-style reply.
• Essayli and other federal officials said the new California law does not affect federal operations, as political backlash mounts following the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.