Overview
- In an NBC Meet the Press interview, Kristen Welker asked whether mimicking the president’s online style risks normalizing it.
- Newsom rejected that premise, saying his intent is to expose behavior he views as deviant rather than make it routine.
- Recent posts from his press office included a muscle-bound, Star Wars-themed image that appeared AI-generated, echoing past heroic imagery of the president.
- The Hill notes he has leaned into all-caps posts and meme-centric messaging for months, drawing attention by mirroring the president’s brash online playbook.
- He also warned that the next presidential contest could resemble a “Putin election” without stronger pushback, a stance that drew praise from left-leaning commentators who criticized NBC’s framing.