Gov. Gavin Newsom says he has a plan if President Trump were to invoke Insurrection Act in California
“He has tried to stoke a civil war in this country, it is a disgrace what he’s doing in Minneapolis, it is a disgrace what he’s doing across the United States of America,” Newsom said.
Updated: 1:02 PM PST Jan 16, 2026
California Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed on Friday he has a plan if President Donald Trump were to invoke the Insurrection Act in California, as he has recently threatened in Minnesota. Speaking to reporters at a homeless and housing-related event in San Francisco, the governor said he’s working with other governors to “compare notes” and said he has been talking to Gov. Tim Walz and Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, over the last couple of days. The president’s threats to send the U.S. military to Minneapolis come amid protests and unrest over the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement operations and the death of Renee Good. “This is code red in this country,” Newsom said. “It’s not flashing yellows, it’s code red in the United States of America.” “It has dawned on every single person, Republicans and Democrats, what we are up against if we don’t speak out,” Newsom said, applauding peaceful protesters and politicians across the country standing up to the president. The governor was asked if he would deploy the National Guard to respond to demonstrations related to immigration officers in California. “When and if necessary, depending on criteria and conditions,” the governor said. “I won’t speculate beyond that, but only as necessary.” Newsom confirmed to KCRA 3 he has not spoken to Trump since last summer, the night before the president took hold of the California National Guard and deployed troops to the streets of Los Angeles over immigration-related protest. “He has tried to stoke a civil war in this country, it is a disgrace what he’s doing in Minneapolis, it is a disgrace what he’s doing across the United States of America,” Newsom said. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SAN FRANCISCO —
California Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed on Friday he has a plan if President Donald Trump were to invoke the Insurrection Act in California, as he has recently threatened in Minnesota.
Speaking to reporters at a homeless and housing-related event in San Francisco, the governor said he’s working with other governors to “compare notes” and said he has been talking to Gov. Tim Walz and Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, over the last couple of days.
The president’s threats to send the U.S. military to Minneapolis come amid protests and unrest over the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement operations and the death of Renee Good.
“This is code red in this country,” Newsom said. “It’s not flashing yellows, it’s code red in the United States of America.”
“It has dawned on every single person, Republicans and Democrats, what we are up against if we don’t speak out,” Newsom said, applauding peaceful protesters and politicians across the country standing up to the president.
The governor was asked if he would deploy the National Guard to respond to demonstrations related to immigration officers in California.
“When and if necessary, depending on criteria and conditions,” the governor said. “I won’t speculate beyond that, but only as necessary.”
Newsom confirmed to KCRA 3 he has not spoken to Trump since last summer, the night before the president took hold of the California National Guard and deployed troops to the streets of Los Angeles over immigration-related protest.
“He has tried to stoke a civil war in this country, it is a disgrace what he’s doing in Minneapolis, it is a disgrace what he’s doing across the United States of America,” Newsom said.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel