California Governor Gavin Newsom faces a fierce wave of criticism after describing the coordinated U.S.-Israel airstrikes on Iran as an “illegal, dangerous war,” while publicly opposing President Trump’s decision to strike.
On social media platform X on Saturday, Newsom wrote: “Iran’s corrupt and repressive regime must never possess nuclear weapons. Iran’s leadership needs to go.” However, he argued that this “does not justify the President of the United States waging an illegal, dangerous war, putting the lives of American troops and allies at risk without accountability to the American people.”
The statement immediately drew mixed reactions. Many accounts on X questioned his position, arguing he was sending a contradictory message by simultaneously calling for the removal of Iran’s leaders while opposing military action.
Some defended President Trump’s authority, arguing he acted within his constitutional powers. Meanwhile, others called on Governor Newsom to show support for national interests amid escalating tensions.
Initial reports indicated the strikes targeted multiple important sites in Iran, including areas near the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. The campaign followed weeks of stalled negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
The political developments surrounding this military decision continue to deepen the debate in the U.S. over war powers and the role of Congress in authorizing military action abroad.
