Overview

• Newsom posted a screenshot of a Grok query asking whether people with dementia repeat false things and shared the chatbot’s affirmative, generic answer.
• In the 30‑second clip he reposted, Trump claimed the federal government forced California to “turn a valve” to restore water and mocked the governor by name.
• Trump’s assertions about California withholding water have been repeatedly fact‑checked, and state officials have said the U.S. military did not “turn on” the state’s water supply.
• The exchange extends Newsom’s broader tactic of mirroring Trump’s online style, including promoting parody merchandise from his Patriot Shop.
• The feud has also involved policy and legal clashes, including California’s June lawsuit challenging the administration’s authorization of National Guard deployment.