Overview

• Newsom delivered a 2,300-word letter with a short video on the state’s 175th anniversary, continuing his break from the traditional in-person address.
• He accused the Trump administration of a “relentless, unhinged California obsession,” condemning June’s Guard and Marine deployment to Los Angeles and threats to UCLA funding.
• The letter praised wildfire response and touted clean-energy and economic markers, citing more than 2 million zero-emission vehicles, Caltrain electrification and a $4.1 trillion state GDP.
• California highlighted its legal resistance, noting 41 lawsuits against federal actions and roughly $50 million approved this year to bolster state legal defenses.
• Republican leaders criticized the format and focus, with Assembly Leader James Gallagher citing deficits, homelessness and high living costs while attacking Newsom’s redistricting push.