Here’s a headline that will make you do a double take: California Governor Gavin Newsom is accusing President-elect Donald Trump of “betraying” American consumers with his proposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada. Yes, Gavin Newsom—the same man whose state policies have driven businesses to flee faster than tourists leaving San Francisco after dark—now fancies himself the defender of the average American. Forgive me if I’m not buying it.
According to Newsom, these tariffs, designed to incentivize domestic manufacturing and protect American workers, are actually a stab in the back for consumers. He claims they’ll drive up prices on everyday goods, putting a financial burden on families already struggling with inflation. And while there’s a nugget of truth in that argument—tariffs can lead to higher prices in the short term—let’s not pretend that Gavin Newsom is losing sleep over the price of your avocados.
This is the same governor who’s presided over a state with some of the highest gas prices, utility rates, and housing costs in the nation. If Newsom is so concerned about affordability, he might want to start by looking in the mirror. California’s regulatory environment and tax policies are legendary for driving up the cost of living, not to mention pushing businesses and residents to states like Texas and Florida. But sure, let’s hear more about how Trump’s tariffs are the real betrayal here.
The truth is, Newsom’s outrage has little to do with consumer prices and everything to do with his political agenda. Tariffs don’t just affect what you pay at the store—they disrupt the cozy economic arrangements that elites like Newsom thrive on. For decades, American politicians have prioritized global trade deals and cheap imports over the needs of American workers, and the people who benefit most from that system aren’t the families shopping at Walmart—they’re the corporations and politicians who play the globalist game.
Trump’s tariffs challenge that system, and that’s what really has Newsom worried. By imposing costs on imports from Mexico and Canada, Trump is signaling that it’s time to rethink America’s role in the global economy. The goal isn’t to punish consumers—it’s to level the playing field for American manufacturers who’ve been undercut by decades of unfair trade practices. And yes, that might mean paying a little more for certain goods in the short term. But the long-term payoff? More jobs, stronger industries, and a country that doesn’t rely on foreign suppliers for everything from cars to critical medical equipment.
Of course, Newsom’s position is predictable. He’s a darling of the coastal elite, and nothing terrifies that crowd more than the idea of a self-reliant America. They’d rather lecture you about climate change while outsourcing solar panel production to China than support policies that bring manufacturing back to the Rust Belt. Tariffs disrupt that narrative, which is why Newsom is so eager to frame them as a betrayal.
But let’s talk about betrayal for a moment. What about the betrayal of American workers whose jobs were shipped overseas because it was cheaper to manufacture goods in countries with lower labor standards? What about the betrayal of communities hollowed out by factory closures and unemployment? What about the betrayal of consumers who were promised that globalization would lead to lower prices, only to find themselves paying more for everything while earning less? If Gavin Newsom wants to talk about betrayal, he might want to start there.
The irony, of course, is that the same people crying foul over Trump’s tariffs are the ones who’ve spent years ignoring the economic realities facing middle America. They dismissed concerns about trade imbalances and job losses as outdated or, worse, xenophobic. But now that someone is actually doing something about it, they’re suddenly concerned about the cost of groceries. It’s almost funny—almost.
So let’s call this what it is: political theater. Gavin Newsom isn’t standing up for American consumers; he’s standing up for the status quo. Trump’s tariffs are a threat to the globalist playbook that politicians like Newsom rely on, and that’s why they’re so desperate to frame them as a bad deal for America. But here’s the truth: sometimes, standing up for your country means making tough choices. And if a few tariffs are what it takes to rebuild American industries and protect American workers, that’s not a betrayal—it’s a win.
