California Governor Gavin Newsom launched a sharp attack against President Donald Trump this week, accusing him of exploiting a solemn military moment after the President’s campaign promoted a fundraising effort that included an image from a dignified transfer ceremony honoring U.S. soldiers killed during the Iran conflict.
Donald Trump is fundraising off of dead soldiers.
He is a deeply SICK and DISGUSTING MAN! https://t.co/H274H5svRm
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) March 13, 2026
Quoting a post on X announcing the fundraising effort tied to the national security briefings, Gavin Newsom responded by slamming the president, writing, “Donald Trump is fundraising off of dead soldiers. He is a deeply SICK and DISGUSTING MAN!”
The controversy noted by the Gavin Newsom tweet centers on a fundraising promotion connected to Trump that reportedly included a photograph of the President taken during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base, where the remains of American military service members killed in the Iran conflict were returned to the United States, the Irish Star reports.
Dignified transfers are solemn military ceremonies in which fallen U.S. troops are returned home, with the President, senior military leaders, and family members often present to honor the sacrifice of those killed in service.
Trump attended the ceremony at Dover Air Force Base to pay respects to several U.S. service members who were killed amid the escalating conflict with Iran. The event is considered one of the most solemn duties of a commander in chief.
📍 Dover Air Force Base@POTUS arrives for the dignified transfer of the three American patriots killed in Syria 🙏 pic.twitter.com/fF27mj75Ct
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 17, 2025
Gavin Newsom, seized on the campaign promotion that included the image, claiming it blurred the line between honoring the fallen and political fundraising. The California Democrat used the moment to launch a personal attack against Trump, accusing the president of turning a moment of national mourning into a political opportunity.
Despite the criticism, Trump has repeatedly emphasized the importance of honoring American service members and supporting the military during the ongoing conflict. During the Dover ceremony, the president met privately with families of the fallen troops before attending the transfer of the flag-draped cases as they were carried from a U.S. Air Force aircraft.
White House officials have previously described the President’s presence at the ceremony as part of his role in honoring those who gave their lives in service to the country. The broader political dispute comes as tensions between the United States and Iran remain high following Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military campaign targeting Iranian naval forces, missile systems, drone production facilities, and other military infrastructure.
Newsom’s remarks quickly circulated online, adding to the growing political divide over the administration’s handling of the conflict with Iran and the messaging surrounding U.S. military actions in the region.
Gavin Newsom is frequently mentioned as a potential presidential contender, has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of Trump’s foreign policy and leadership during the crisis. At the same time, Trump has continued emphasizing the importance of supporting American troops and maintaining military readiness as the conflict with Iran unfolds.
The dispute between Gavin Newsom and Donald Trump underscores the increasingly bitter political climate surrounding the war effort and the way both sides frame the role of the commander in chief during moments of national loss and military sacrifice.
