California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) posted a sarcastic message on X on Wednesday mocking former President Donald Trump [1, 2].
The exchange highlights the ongoing political friction between the governor and the former president, specifically regarding Trump's mental fitness and public image.
Newsom's post responded to recent comments from Trump regarding his performance on multiple cognitive tests [2]. In the post, Newsom suggested that Trump would be the perfect candidate to represent humanity if extraterrestrial beings ever visited Earth [1, 2].
"Aliens can have him," Newsom said [1].
The joke framed the potential alien encounter as a mission where Trump would be the primary pick for the delegation [1, 2]. The governor used the platform to turn Trump's boasts about his cognitive abilities into a political jab, framing the former president as an expendable asset in a hypothetical first-contact scenario [1, 2].
This interaction follows a pattern of public disagreements between the two political figures. Newsom has frequently used social media to challenge Trump's rhetoric and policy positions. By targeting the claims about cognitive testing, Newsom said he aimed to cast doubt on the former president's assertions of mental acuity [2].
The post quickly gained attention on the social-media platform X, where users engaged with the governor's humor regarding the alien mission [1].
“"Aliens can have him."”
This exchange reflects the broader strategy of using high-visibility social media platforms to personalize political conflicts. By pivoting from a policy debate to a joke about cognitive health and extraterrestrials, Newsom is attempting to undermine Trump's credibility through satire rather than traditional political critique.
