California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticized international leaders for what he called their “pathetic” behavior in cozying up to President Donald Trump, taking aim at the handling of Greenland and Trump’s recent self-promotion on the global stage. “I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders. I mean, handing out crowns, the Nobel prizes that are being given away. It’s just pathetic,” Newsom told Sky News, referring to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado’s symbolic gift of her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, which the president accepted as a sign of “mutual respect,” though the Nobel Committee clarified the prize remains Machado’s. He also mocked European leaders for appearing complicit in Trump’s antics, saying dealing with the president is like facing “a T-Rex: you meet with him or he devours you,” urging them to “stand tall, stand firm, stand united” and warning that the reckoning for their passivity should have happened a year ago.
Newsom’s comments coincided with his reemergence at the World Economic Forum in Davos, signaling his intent to be a visible alternative for global leaders seeking engagement beyond Trump, as noted by former Democratic fundraiser Sally Susman. Meanwhile, Trump continued to push his Greenland agenda, threatening a 10 percent tariff on opposing countries and posting a message he said came from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praising Trump’s international efforts. Newsom dismissed such diplomacy as “embarrassing” and accused Trump of “playing folks for fools,” emphasizing that world leaders’ current responses amount to little more than kowtowing.
The standoff over Greenland and Trump’s unconventional approach has drawn global attention, with Newsom capitalizing on the moment to promote his own brand of political activism, including his tongue-in-cheek knee pad mailings to lawmakers he views as compliant. Trump’s ongoing social media posts and the Greenland meeting set for Davos highlight a deepening divide between U.S. presidential actions and international expectations, leaving observers to question whether global leaders will adopt Newsom’s call to assertiveness or continue what the governor describes as “pathetic” acquiescence.