Newsom Says Trump Aims to Roll Back Rights to Pre-1960s Era

California Governor Gavin Newsom accused former President Donald Trump of seeking to roll back decades of civil-rights progress, saying Trump "wants to put America in reverse, to a pre-1960s world" on voting, civil, LGBTQ and women’s rights. The remarks, delivered on 9 July, frame Newsom’s argument that the next presidential election poses a stark choice over social policy. Newsom, widely viewed as a potential Democratic contender in 2028, has stepped up his national profile by contrasting his record in California with Trump’s agenda. Trump is campaigning to return to the White House in 2028 after losing his 2024 re-election bid, making the two men likely adversaries in issues ranging from abortion access to LGBTQ protections.