Newsom GOES Rogue–Strikes UK DEAL

Two business professionals shaking hands in a corporate setting

President Trump unleashed a blistering attack on California Governor Gavin Newsom after he bypassed federal authority to sign an international clean energy deal with the United Kingdom, calling the agreement “inappropriate” and declaring “everything he’s touched turns to garbage.”

Story Snapshot

Governor Newsom signed a clean energy memorandum with UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband on February 16, 2026, without federal coordination
President Trump condemned the California-UK deal hours later, warning Britain against partnering with Newsom and calling him a “loser”
The agreement follows Newsom’s European tour where he called Trump “temporary” and urged allies to work around the federal government
Trump’s criticism highlights concerns about state leaders conducting their own foreign policy while undermining America’s energy independence agenda

Newsom’s International Overreach Sparks Presidential Rebuke

Governor Newsom traveled to London on February 16, 2026, to sign a memorandum of understanding with UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband focusing on offshore wind energy, market access for British firms including Octopus Energy, and research collaboration. Hours after the signing ceremony, President Trump responded forcefully in a Politico interview, calling the deal inappropriate and warning the United Kingdom that California’s governor has failed at everything from environmental policy to high-speed rail. This subnational diplomacy raises serious questions about federal authority in foreign relations and whether individual state leaders should be negotiating international agreements.

Governor’s European Tour Undermines Federal Authority

Just two days before signing the UK agreement, Newsom appeared at the Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2026, where he dismissed President Trump as “temporary” and predicted midterm losses and legal setbacks for the administration. The California governor urged international allies to establish “stable subnational partnerships” to bypass what he characterized as federal “instability.” This coordinated effort to undermine the elected President of the United States on foreign soil represents a troubling precedent where state officials actively work against federal policy objectives. The UK deal is part of Britain’s broader strategy, having signed similar memorandums with eleven other U.S. states seeking clean energy partnerships.

California’s Failed Record Contradicts Clean Energy Claims

President Trump’s criticism pointed to California’s disastrous track record on major projects, including the state’s abandoned high-speed rail boondoggle that wasted billions in taxpayer dollars and environmental policies that have contributed to a population exodus. Trump recently opened California’s offshore areas to oil and gas leasing, a move that supports American energy independence and creates jobs, which Newsom and environmental activists immediately condemned. The federal government withdrew from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change earlier in 2026, a decision that advances U.S. sovereignty and rejects costly international climate mandates that burden American workers and businesses while countries like China continue polluting unchecked.

Political Motivations Behind International Grandstanding

Newsom’s European tour appears designed to boost his profile for a potential 2028 presidential run by positioning himself as Trump’s primary Democratic rival on the international stage. The governor’s office responded to Trump’s criticism by claiming the President is “selling out America’s future to China” and favoring coal and big oil, despite Trump’s actual record of promoting American energy dominance across all sources. This manufactured controversy allows Newsom to play to progressive audiences while avoiding accountability for California’s actual problems including homelessness, crime, and businesses fleeing the state. The memorandum with Britain focuses on importing foreign energy technology rather than developing American solutions and American jobs.

Federal Primacy and Constitutional Concerns

The Constitution grants the federal government exclusive authority over foreign policy, making Newsom’s international energy agreements constitutionally questionable regardless of their stated focus on trade and technology. While the UK has framed these state-level memorandums as pragmatic economic partnerships benefiting British exports and jobs, they undermine the unified foreign policy essential to American interests. President Trump’s response reasserts federal primacy and sends a clear message that individual governors cannot conduct their own international relations. The incident highlights the broader tension between the Trump administration’s fossil fuel expansion and energy independence agenda versus progressive states pushing expensive renewable mandates that drive up costs for families and businesses.