Trump Criticizes California Governor Over UK Green Energy Agreement
Donald Trump expressed strong disapproval of a green energy agreement signed between California Governor Gavin Newsom and the British government. Trump, who frequently uses a derogatory nickname for Newsom, stated:
“The UK’s got enough trouble without getting involved with Gavin Newscum. Gavin is a loser. Everything he’s touched turns to garbage. His state has gone to hell, and his environmental work is a disaster.”
Trump further criticized the appropriateness of the deal, suggesting it was improper for Newsom to enter such agreements and for the UK to engage with him. This intervention may raise concerns among British officials about potential complications in the UK’s relationship with the White House.
Details of the California-UK Green Energy Agreement
Governor Newsom, a prominent critic of Trump on various issues including immigration enforcement and climate change, signed a memorandum of understanding in London with the UK’s Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband. The agreement aims to strengthen existing cooperation between California and the UK by establishing a framework to accelerate the development of clean energy technologies and foster collaboration between businesses and researchers in both regions.
The partnership also includes sharing expertise on biodiversity protection and enhancing resilience to extreme weather events, according to Miliband’s department announcement on Monday.
“Strong international partnerships like today’s announcement with the state of California strengthens opportunities for UK businesses and secures investment for our country,”
Miliband said.
Context and Additional Discussions
The signing follows a meeting between Newsom and Miliband in New York in September. During their London meeting on Monday, they also discussed artificial intelligence and its impact on energy, as well as lessons learned from California’s recent wildfires—an issue that has been a point of contention between Trump and Newsom, with the former blaming the fires on state management.
A source close to Miliband described the meeting as productive, emphasizing the significant clean energy job and investment opportunities available to both the UK and California.
“It was a productive meeting based on the huge clean energy jobs and investment opportunities that the UK and California can bring to one another.”
Newsom’s visit to London came shortly after attending the Munich Security Conference, where he remarked:
“Donald Trump’s administration is temporary. California’s commitment is not.”
During his European trip, Newsom also engaged with European leaders who have openly opposed Trump administration policies. Last week, he met with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who condemned the recent US military intervention in Venezuela, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who spoke in Munich about related issues.
Political Reactions and Broader Implications
Both Newsom and Miliband are viewed unfavorably by the populist right. Nigel Farage, leader of the hard-right Reform UK party, commented on Monday that he considers Miliband a likely candidate to replace Keir Starmer as Labour Party leader if Starmer faces setbacks in upcoming local elections, predicting that the party would then shift further to the left.
