California Governor Gavin Newsom has adopted a social-media voice that echoes Donald Trump’s trademark all-caps rhetoric and hyperbolic phrasing, using his press account to mock the former president on topics that range from tariffs to fitness. The approach has boosted his online visibility, with several analysts noting a rapid climb in followers and prediction-market bets that place him early front-runner for the 2028 Democratic nomination. The gambit drew sharp pushback on Aug. 20 from ‘Morning Joe’ host Joe Scarborough, who branded Newsom’s posts “quite embarrassing” and warned that Democrats risk looking unfocused by centering their message on Trump, who will not appear on the 2026 or 2028 ballots. Scarborough urged party leaders to pivot to pocketbook issues such as affordability, housing and energy prices instead of “trying to school Donald Trump.” Scarborough’s critique quickly reverberated across conservative and progressive outlets alike, amplifying Republican claims of Democratic disarray. Some Democrats countered that the tactic has strategic value: Representative Eric Swalwell called Newsom’s mimicry a “teaching moment” that shows voters the party is willing to fight on social media terrain long dominated by Trump. The exchange underscores broader tension within Democratic ranks over how aggressively to confront Trump’s rhetoric as campaigns for the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race begin to take shape.