California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked President Donald Trump on Wednesday after Trump told an audience at the World Economic Forum that people in Greenland call him “daddy.” Newsom posted on X that it was “Time for grandpa to go back to bed.”
Trump made the “daddy” remark during a lengthy speech in Davos. His address partly focused on his renewed wish for the United States to acquire Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory. In his speech, Trump said that NATO and Europe benefited from U.S. security support. He claimed leaders “loved” him until “the last few days” when he mentioned “Iceland,” mistakenly naming Greenland. “They called me daddy,” Trump stated. “A very smart man said, ‘He’s our daddy, he’s running it.’”
Newsom’s post echoed reactions that quickly spread online as video of the exchange circulated. The governor’s press office shared the “grandpa” line from its official X account along with a clip of Trump’s remarks.
Trump’s comments about Greenland were part of a larger message in Davos. He argued that U.S. control of the Arctic territory would improve security. This proposal has faced pushback from Denmark and other European leaders. It also dominated discussions at the summit as officials considered how to respond to Washington’s demands.
During the same speech, Trump mentioned Newsom directly. He recalled what he described as a friendly relationship in the past. “I used to get along so great with Gavin when I was president,” Trump remarked, calling Newsom “a good guy,” while also criticizing Democratic leadership and crime in California cities.
Trump suggested that Newsom should seek federal help for addressing crime, offering his support. “And if he needed it, I would do it in a heartbeat,” Trump said, according to reports from the speech.
This exchange highlighted a growing political divide between the Democratic governor and the Republican president. They have frequently clashed over immigration enforcement, federal deployments, and disaster response since Trump returned to the White House. Newsom has emerged as a leading Democratic voice against Trump. He has urged global leaders not to yield to Washington’s threats as the administration intensifies its demands regarding Greenland.
Trump’s appearance in Davos also attracted attention for his repeated references to Greenland while confusing it with Iceland, a separate country and NATO member. Multiple reports noted he mixed up the two as he outlined his demands and mocked European leaders.
Newsom did not directly respond to Trump’s offer of help during the speech. However, his office has recently criticized Trump’s approach to European allies and the use of U.S. leverage in disputes related to Greenland.
The World Economic Forum, which brings together political and business leaders each year in Davos, has been dominated this week by discussions on trade, security, and the future of the transatlantic alliance. The Trump administration suggests it is willing to link tariffs and defense commitments to territorial and policy objectives.
Neither the White House nor Newsom’s office provided additional comments on Newsom’s “grandpa” post beyond the message shared on X.
