Gavin Newsom declares Stephen Miller and Trump the official insurrectionist defense team

California Governor Gavin Newsom didn’t hold back when responding to Stephen Miller’s incendiary X post accusing Los Angeles officials of “handing over your streets” to “insurrectionist mobs” and labeling the city a “criminal sanctuary” filled with “illegal alien invaders, cartel killers, foreign terrorists, transnational gangs.”

Miller raged, “When our courageous ICE officers… came under violent organized attack you and the LA Mayor left them… to fend for themselves.” He added, “You still refuse to arrest and prosecute the arsonists, seditionists and insurrectionists.” In other words: “Just so you know, L.A. is falling apart.” Miller ranted that Newsom’s “Administration is fighting to save the city,” but failed to act. 

Newsom’s legendary clapback? “The only people defending insurrectionists are you and @realDonaldTrump,” he wrote on X—then pulled the rug out with: “Or, are we pretending like you didn’t pardon 1,500 of them?” Ouch.

Behind the scenes: Trump’s January 6 pardons

Let’s rewind: On January 20, 2025 (his inauguration day), Donald Trump issued pardons or commutations for around 1,500 January 6 rioters, including leaders of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. He dismissed the attack on police as a very minor incident in a Fox News interview.

Critics slammed the pardons as a direct signal to radical groups, as if to say, “If you act on my behalf, you’re untouchable.” Newsom and others labeled it a mockery of justice, and Newsom’s jab proves the point.

What’s igniting L.A. now? ICE raids and protests

Fast forward to June 2025: Federal ICE carried out raids across L.A., arresting dozens, some of whom were minors, and triggering protests that some officials described as peaceful, others called “violent insurrections.”

Trump responded by federalizing the National Guard without California’s consent, deploying nearly 2,000 troops and warning of Marines if things got worse. Tom Homan, Trump’s Border Czar, even accused local leaders of fanning the flames.

Newsom, meanwhile, called the move “unlawful,” “unconstitutional,” and “authoritarian,” and sued Trump and the DoD—emphasizing that L.A.’s law enforcement had cooled things down before federal troops rolled in.

Political tension: Newsom vs Trump

This showdown isn’t just about L.A.—it’s political theater. Trump’s heavy-handed tactics, including calling local protests “insurrections” and threatening to arrest Newsom, echo his history of labeling political opposition as enemies. The Governor’s lawsuit and rhetoric underscore the larger battle over state sovereignty, the Constitution, and Trump’s ambitions. Newsom is positioning himself as the state’s defender, and Trump as the chaos-loving authoritarian.

This clash strikes multiple chords: Trump’s January 6 pardons, the federal militarization of L.A., and how state governments can—or should—stand up to federal overreach. It’s a juicy combo of justice, local rights, and national politics, tied together by a top-tier Newsom zinger.