Newsom Calls Out Trump for Golfing During Government Shutdown
Donald Trump has golfed both weekends since the government ground to a halt on Oct. 1.

Jane Barlow/Getty Images
Gavin Newsom has called out Donald Trump for golfing through the government shutdown.
The 79-year-old president has golfed on both weekends since the government ground to a halt on Oct. 1.
The shutdown has left 750,000 federal workers furloughed, and Trump has taken the opportunity to carry out mass layoffs. His budget goon Russ Vought gutted entire CDC departments in a Friday-night “massacre.”
The next day, Trump was photographed hitting the links at his Virginia club.
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Newsom on Sunday reposted the photo to slam the president for pursuing his usual weekend pastime amid a government crisis.
He shut down YOUR government.
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) October 12, 2025
He increased the cost of YOUR health care.
He raised YOUR taxes, while cutting taxes for billionaires.
Now he’s golfing. https://t.co/agyGPnMlIL
“He shut down YOUR government. He increased the cost of YOUR health care. He raised YOUR taxes, while cutting taxes for billionaires,” the California governor’s press office wrote, before adding, “Now he’s golfing.”
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The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
Newsom, who has positioned himself as a 2028 Democratic presidential contender, previously called out Trump for hawking Trump Watches while Washington remains at a standstill.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has slammed President Donald Trump for golfing and selling Trump Watches amid the government shutdown.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
NO HEALTH CARE FOR YOU BUT YOU MUST BUY MY WATCH!! https://t.co/gNSHmTvAsx
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 9, 2025
Reposting a 30-second ad featuring Trump selling his $500 watches that appeared on Newsmax’s airwaves last week, the governor wrote Thursday, “NO HEALTH CARE FOR YOU BUT YOU MUST BUY MY WATCH!!”
Newsom appears to be taking shots at Republicans’ refusal to renew expiring Obamacare subsidies. If not extended, health care premiums are expected to skyrocket for millions of Americans in the coming year.
Democrats have demanded that an extension of the Obamacare tax credits be included in the short-term spending deal. But Republicans have refused to discuss health care until Democrats back their plan to reopen the government.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration began its promised mass layoffs last week. Court filings show that an estimated 4,200 employees across at least seven agencies started receiving reduction-in-force (RIF) notices on Oct. 10, NPR reports.

President Donald Trump has reportedly hit the links roughly one out of every four days of his second presidency.
Jane Barlow/Getty Images
Newsom reacted to the news by posting in Trump’s signature all-caps style, “TRUMP’S SHUTDOWN IS MAKING AMERICA LESS SAFE.”
Members of the military, however, can rest assured that they will be paid during the shutdown, after Trump ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “use all available funds to get our Troops PAID” on Saturday.
TRUMP’S SHUT DOWN IS MAKING AMERICA LESS SAFE https://t.co/1jI2TsrzE3
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) October 11, 2025
House Republicans had blocked a Democratic effort to pass a bill ensuring service members are paid during the government shutdown.
Trump has golfed through several major domestic events, including while Texas suffered from flash floods in July and as stock markets plunged in response to his tariff announcements.

The president departed for Tel Aviv, Israel on Sunday to tout the Gaza peace deal he helped broker.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
He has hit the links roughly one out of every four days of his second presidency, costing American taxpayers roughly $90 million, according to the website didtrumpgolftoday.com.
On Sunday, the president boarded Air Force One to travel to Israel, where he will address the Knesset and meet with hostage families, before traveling to Egypt for a summit meeting on the Gaza peace deal he helped broker.
The government shutdown is poised to enter its third week on Wednesday.
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