Treasury Secretary Bessent slams Newsom after Davos stunt and California policies

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent took aim at California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and his political stunt at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, dismissing the left-wing governor as acting with a “brain the size of a walnut.”

“I think Gavin Newsom may be laughing, some of these things he’s saying. I think he may be angry because of his hairstyle,” Bessent told Politico’s “The Conversation.”

Newsom recently traveled to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum, where President Donald Trump’s presence dominated the event as the administration pressures European leaders to reach a deal that would allow the United States to acquire Greenland.

The Democratic governor is a longtime political opponent of Trump and issued a warning to foreign leaders to develop a “backbone” with Trump during a political offensive against the White House from the forum Monday. His attack included saying he should have brought “knee pads” for foreign dignitaries interacting with Trump, while comparing Trump to a T.rex.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom for his political stunt and comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. (Theresa Münch/photo alliance via Getty Images)

“It’s diplomacy with Donald Trump. He’s a T. rex. You mate with him, or he eats you, one or the other,” Newsom said Tuesday. “The Europeans could be (eaten) if they continue on this path and in this process. They must stand up, stay firm, stay united.”

Bessent countered Thursday that the comparison was absurd while asserting that the governor had a “brain the size of a walnut.”

“Being on the national stage is very different from being governor of California with no notable accomplishments, but saying strange things, like President Trump is a Tyrannosaurus Rex. What does that mean?” » said the Treasury Secretary. “I could say Gavin Newsom is a brontosaurus with a brain the size of a walnut.”

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Newsom actually brought knee pads to the forum as part of a political stunt, calling them “Trump’s signature series knee pads” during a speech in Davos, Switzerland.

During his meetings in Davos, Newsom was photographed with left-wing billionaire Alex Soros, the son of billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

California Governor Gavin Newsom holds a kneeler at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. (Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Bessent joked: “If you brought the knee pads, maybe it was for his meeting with Alex Soros. I don’t know.”

The Treasury secretary added that Newsom knows “less about the economy than” former Vice President Kamala Harris, which he described as “a terrible place to be.”

Bessent’s remarks to Politico are the latest this week against Newsom, comparing him to a mix of American Psycho’s main character, Patrick Bateman, who meets the Sparkle Beach Ken doll on Tuesday.

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“We’re deep in their heads,” Newsom said Thursday in response to Bessent’s comparison from Switzerland. “I think the affordability agenda seems to be me living rent free in the Trump administration’s head.”

President Donald Trump, center, holds up a signed Peace Council charter during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

Trump was asked about Newsom’s presence in Davos during a press briefing Tuesday, noting that the two had a warm relationship before it fell into political tatters.

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“I had very good relations with Gavin Newsom when we were, you know, in power together,” Trump told the media, referring to his first term in the Oval Office. “I was president. He was governor of California. We really had… he talked about it often. And somewhere we got lost. I just hate the way California is run.

California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is a longtime political opponent of Trump and issued a warning to foreign leaders to develop a “backbone” with Trump during a political offensive against the White House from the forum Monday. (Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“People actually leave. It’s never happened before, but I hate the way it’s handled. He and I had a really good relationship. Really, close to the word exceptional, but now it seems like that’s not the case anymore.”

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Fox Digital contacted Newsom’s office Friday morning about Bessent’s latest comments, but did not immediately receive a response.