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Newsom Becomes De Facto U.S. Voice at COP30, Slams Trump’s Climate Retreat

At the Belém summit, California’s governor promoted state-led climate deals to warn that U.S. withdrawal risks ceding clean‑energy leadership to China.

Overview

  • With the White House opting out, the United States was one of only four countries absent from COP30, according to U.N. organizers.
  • Gavin Newsom denounced President Trump’s climate stance as “doubling down on stupid” and labeled him an “invasive species” and “wrecking ball,” drawing a mocking rebuttal from spokesperson Taylor Rogers.
  • Positioning California as a partner for global action, Newsom announced subnational pacts, including a wildfire prevention agreement with Brazil’s Pará state and a memorandum with Nigeria on sustainable urban transportation.
  • Arguing the issue is economic as well as environmental, Newsom warned that federal retreat hands clean‑energy supply chains and manufacturing advantage to China.
  • Indigenous demonstrators forced access to parts of the venue in Belém and clashed with security as they pressed demands for land rights and stronger forest protections.