Newsom said Trump will “ruin San Francisco" - but it's already ruined

California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that Donald Trump would "ruin" San Francisco during a high-profile clash over federal intervention in October 2025.

On October 19, 2025, Newsom posted a direct "fact check" response to Trump on social media, writing: "Nobody wants you here. You will ruin one of America’s greatest cities". This remark was in response to Trump's claims that San Francisco had "gone woke" and that he intended to deploy the National Guard to "make it great again."

Newsom’s comments were part of a broader legal and political battle in late 2025 regarding Trump’s use of the National Guard in Democratic-led cities. Newsom described the proposed military deployment as a move from an "authoritarian playbook" and warned that he had a lawsuit prepared to file "within a nanosecond" of any federal troops entering the city.

He argued that San Francisco was experiencing an "economic rebirth" and record-low crime rates, which he claimed only Trump’s "chaos" could disrupt.

By October 23, 2025, Trump reportedly paused the planned federal surge in the San Francisco Bay Area. Newsom attributed this reversal to conversations Trump had with "Silicon Valley billionaires" and local business leaders, suggesting the president was influenced more by wealthy donors than by public safety concerns.

Despite the pause, Newsom cautioned residents to remain wary, labeling Trump a "chaos president" who could change his mind at any time