Fox News host Dana Perino reportedly pushed back Tuesday against California Governor Gavin Newsom, after the Democrat lashed out at her criticism of his new social media strategy — one that appears to mimic, and mock, the posting style of President Donald J. Trump.
Perino, a co-host of The Five and former White House press secretary under President George W. Bush, made clear she found Newsom’s approach contrived. “And that was my point,” Perino said during the broadcast. “If you’re doing this and it’s not authentic and you’re trying to do somebody else who you say is Hitler and you think that we don’t get the joke, oh no, we get the joke, it’s just not funny.”
Her remarks followed a string of jabs from the governor’s official account on the social media platform X, where his office fired back at Fox News after Perino had said Monday that Newsom was “making a fool” of himself by adopting a style of all-caps messaging meant to parody Mr. Trump.
One post read: “FOX HATES THAT I AM AMERICA’S MOST FAVORITE GOVERNOR (‘RATINGS KING’) SAVING AMERICA.”
The governor, who has emerged as one of the Democratic Party’s most vocal critics of Mr. Trump, has sharply escalated his media presence in recent months.
His allies suggest the move is part of an effort to define himself as a national figure, particularly as speculation builds about his White House ambitions.
A new poll released Wednesday offered more fuel for that speculation, showing Mr. Newsom leading Vice President Kamala Harris in a hypothetical 2028 Democratic primary contest in California.
For Ms. Perino, however, the theatrics were not a sign of strength but of political miscalculation. Her comments suggested that by imitating the very figure he frequently denounces, Mr. Newsom risks undermining his credibility. “It’s not authentic,” she said flatly.
The governor’s allies insist that his aggressive social media tactics are designed to grab attention in a crowded national political landscape.
But the decision to lean into Mr. Trump’s all-caps bravado has prompted skepticism not only from conservative media voices but also from strategists who question whether parodying the president does more to elevate him than diminish him.
For Republicans, Mr. Newsom’s efforts fit a familiar pattern: Democrats who criticize Mr. Trump endlessly, yet remain fixated on his style, his tactics, and his ability to dominate media cycles.
By imitating Mr. Trump’s digital voice, critics say, the governor risks reminding voters of the authenticity gap between himself and the man he derides.
Mr. Newsom’s defenders counter that his approach is a clever way to get under the skin of both Mr. Trump and his conservative critics.
But Ms. Perino’s pointed response underscored how easily the tactic can backfire, leaving the impression of a governor playing a role rather than leading with substance.
The exchange also reflects the broader stakes for Democrats as they eye 2028. While Mr. Newsom works to cultivate a national profile, he faces the challenge of proving that his political style amounts to more than mimicry of the man he insists he is running against.
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