Full Breakdown
Governor Newsom Calls for 25th Amendment After Trump’s Election-Security Address
7/17/2026, 8:29:36 PM
Core Event
California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a video on X demanding that the 25th Amendment be invoked to remove President Donald Trump following the president’s 27-minute East-Room address in which Trump alleged “shocking vulnerabilities” in U.S. election security and warned that elections were “left vulnerable to being rigged and stolen.” Newsom described the speech as a “legitimate 25th Amendment moment” and urged the public to vote in the upcoming November election.
Background & Context
Trump’s prime-time remarks, aired Thursday night, reiterated unfounded claims of foreign interference in the 2020 election and promoted the restrictive SAVE America Act. The speech was not broadcast by several major networks and was immediately fact-checked as baseless. Newsom’s demand follows a long-standing public feud with Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the governor on social media, referring to him as “Newscum.”
Official Statements & Responses
Newsom’s video warned that Trump’s “ramblings of a mad king” threatened democratic norms and called for congressional action under the 25th Amendment, which requires the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to agree on removal. Democratic Arizona Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari echoed the urgency on X, emphasizing the need for constitutional remedies. The White House, through spokesman Davis Ingle, dismissed Newsom’s call, labeling the governor “the worst governor in America” and questioning his competence.
Criticism & Opposition
Trump’s supporters and the administration have framed Newsom’s appeal as politically motivated. The White House’s sharp rebuke underscores the partisan divide over whether the president’s conduct constitutes a constitutional crisis. No cabinet members or vice-presidential officials have publicly signaled support for invoking the amendment, suggesting limited practical prospects for removal.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Well, the only thing missing tonight in Donald Trump’s speech was tin foil,” — Gavin Newsom, Governor of California
- “This was a legitimate 25th Amendment moment—the ramblings of a mad king.” — Gavin Newsom, Governor of California
- “Our elections were left vulnerable to being rigged and stolen, and the trust of the American people was lost. This cannot be allowed to continue,” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
- “Gavin Newscum is the worst governor in America, and he also may be the dumbest.” — Davis Ingle, White House spokesman
- “How can anyone deny the urgency of the 25th Amendment at this point.” — Yassamin Ansari, U.S. Representative from Arizona
