In recent weeks, California Governor Gavin Newsom has been making headlines not for policy, but for personality. More specifically, he has been drawing attention for his increasing willingness to act like Donald Trump—sharp jabs, mocking commentary, and a style that resembles the same brash approach Trump himself has used for years. For some, this is refreshing. To them, Newsom is finally “playing the game,” fighting Trump on his own turf, and showing Democrats don’t always have to take the high road. But to me—and I suspect to many others—this tactic is not only misguided but dangerous. And that’s coming from someone who has no love for Trump.
The problem with Newsom’s approach is not simply that it feels disingenuous, though that is certainly part of it. For years, Newsom was content to stay relatively polished and governor-like, criticizing Trump from a distance but never fully adopting his persona. Now, suddenly, in the heat of Trump’s continued dominance over the Republican Party and national headlines, Newsom has decided to adopt Trump’s playbook. The timing makes the move look like an act of desperation or calculation rather than conviction. If you’re going to stand against Trump, do it because you truly believe in a better alternative, not because you think mimicking him will score you points. When someone only starts acting this way when it’s politically advantageous, the entire performance feels hollow.
But even setting aside questions of authenticity, the bigger issue is that copying Trump’s behavior only makes Newsom look like a fool. Trump’s entire brand is rooted in disruption, chaos, and mockery. Love him or hate him, he owns that role and has built years of recognition around it. When someone else tries to step into that lane, especially someone like Newsom whose reputation has always been more polished and controlled, it comes across as second-rate. It’s like watching an understudy try to imitate a lead actor who already owns the stage. Instead of weakening Trump, Newsom risks strengthening him by reinforcing the idea that Trump sets the tone for American politics.
Worse still, when Newsom engages in Trump-style antics, he normalizes them. The very behaviors that many of us find most troubling about Trump—bullying opponents, bending the truth, mocking instead of debating—become harder to criticize when Democrats do the same thing. If you spend years arguing that Trump’s behavior is corrosive to democracy, why would you then adopt it yourself? You cannot claim the moral high ground while digging into the same pit. By mirroring Trump’s tactics, Newsom risks sending a message that toxic politics is just the new norm, no matter which party you support.
This is not to say that Democrats—or any politician opposing Trump—should be soft or passive. The old model of “when they go low, we go high” has its limits. There’s a difference between civility and complacency, and sometimes forceful pushback is necessary. But there’s a critical distinction between forceful and toxic. You can confront Trumpism head-on without becoming Trump-lite. You can be passionate, assertive, and even aggressive in defense of your values without resorting to childish name-calling or reality-show theatrics.
What frustrates me most about Newsom’s new approach is that it feels like a missed opportunity. Newsom is a smart, capable politician with resources and a national platform. He has the ability to present a genuine alternative to Trump—a vision rooted in progress, inclusivity, and evidence-based leadership. By stooping to mimic Trump, he undermines his own credibility and makes it harder for voters to see that alternative. Instead of carving out his own lane, he’s trying to drive in Trump’s, where he will always be outmatched.
Some supporters of Newsom’s tactic argue that “this is what it takes” to win in today’s media landscape. They’ll say people are tired of dry policy talk and want entertainment, conflict, and soundbites. Maybe there’s some truth to that. But even if the media rewards drama, that doesn’t mean the public actually benefits from it. Politics should be about solving real problems, not creating viral moments. If all we do is compete to see who can be the loudest, the cruelest, or the most outrageous, we’ve already lost sight of what leadership should mean.
We should be careful what we cheer for. Applauding Newsom for acting like Trump may feel cathartic in the short term, but long term, it erodes the standards we hold for our leaders. If both parties embrace toxicity, if both normalize bullying and deception, then the political system as a whole deteriorates. There’s no “good side” to authoritarian showmanship, no matter who practices it. Instead of doubling down on what’s broken, we should be demanding better from everyone—Newsom included.
At the end of the day, opposing Trump should not mean becoming Trump. The fight against toxic politics is not won by joining it but by transcending it. If Newsom truly wants to stand against Trump, he needs to present a vision that is not only different but better—one that doesn’t just reflect Trump’s image back at us, but shows the country that we can demand more from our politics and from ourselves. Leadership should mean breaking cycles of harm, not repeating them. And if Democrats, or anyone for that matter, fall into the trap of thinking that “acting like Trump” is the way forward, they’ll find out the hard way that you can’t out-Trump Trump.