California's governor flew halfway around the world to lecture Europe about standing up to Trump.
He picked the wrong week to preach.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called him "Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken" while unloading on his economic record in front of the global elite.
California Governor Crashes Treasury Secretary's World Economic Forum Speech
Gavin Newsom showed up at the World Economic Forum in Davos to position himself as anti-Trump resistance leader.
He slid into the front row of Bessent's speech Tuesday and sat right next to the Treasury Secretary's own staff.
CBS reporters sitting behind Newsom watched him take notes and laugh out loud when Bessent claimed gas prices had dropped below $2.
He shook his head when the Treasury Secretary talked about grocery prices coming down.
White House communications director Steven Cheung branded him a "petulant child who can't control his emotions."
Newsom told European leaders they needed to "get off your knees and grow a spine" in dealing with Trump.
He said Trump is a "T. rex" who either devours you or you mate with him.
"I should have brought a bunch of kneepads for all the world leaders," Newsom told reporters.
That's when Bessent fired back.
Trump Administration Targets California Budget Crisis And Homeless Population
The Treasury Secretary didn't just defend Trump's policies.
He went straight at Newsom's economic record with facts that can't be disputed.
"I was told he was asked to give a speech on his signature policies, but he's not speaking because what have his economic policies brought?" Bessent said.
"Outward migration from California, a gigantic budget deficit, the largest homeless population in America, and the poor folks in the Palisades who had their homes burned down."
California faces an $18 billion deficit for fiscal year 2027-28 despite revenue growth.
The state just cut $500 million in homelessness funding while homelessness agencies warn thousands could end up back on the streets.
Newsom's own administration projects the budget deficit could balloon to $22 billion.
This is the fourth year in a row California has run a deficit under Newsom despite increasing revenue.
Bessent pointed out that Newsom is "hobnobbing with the global elite while his California citizens are still homeless."
"Shame on him," the Treasury Secretary said.
"He's too smug, too self-absorbed, and too economically illiterate to know anything."
French Laundry COVID Scandal Gets Thrown Back At California Governor
Bessent didn't let Newsom's COVID lockdown scandal slide either.
"Davos is the perfect place for a man who, when everyone else was on lockdown, when he was having people arrested for going to church, he was having $1,000 a night meals at the French Laundry," Bessent said.
That November 2020 dinner destroyed Newsom's credibility with millions of Californians.
He told people to stay home, wear masks between bites, and skip Thanksgiving with family.
Then Fox 11 Los Angeles obtained photos showing Newsom maskless at an indoor dinner party with a dozen people from multiple households.
The dinner violated his own rules limiting gatherings to three households maximum.
He sat next to lobbyists from the California Medical Association at a restaurant where meals start at $350 per person.
The group was so loud that staff had to close sliding glass doors despite Newsom claiming the dinner was "outdoors."
Small business owners across California pointed to that dinner as the moment they stopped trusting anything Newsom said about COVID restrictions.
Thousands of restaurants were forced to close permanently while Newsom dined with medical lobbyists at one of California's most expensive venues.
Bessent calling him "Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken" connects the dots between the fictional serial killer from "American Psycho" and the plastic doll from "Barbie."
"He may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris," Bessent added.
"He's here this week with his billionaire sugar daddy, Alex Soros."
The Treasury Secretary said the Trump administration would move to address "waste, fraud and abuse" in California.
Newsom called Bessent a "smug man" in response.
That's the best comeback California's governor could muster after getting called economically illiterate in front of world leaders.
The contrast is clear: Trump's Treasury Secretary is talking about economic growth and American strength while Newsom lectures Europe about needing "a backbone."
California's been hemorrhaging residents, running massive deficits, and housing the nation's largest homeless population.
Newsom decided Davos was the place to fix his political future instead of Los Angeles County where wildfire victims are still homeless.
Bessent made him pay for that choice.
Sources:
- Ashley Carnahan, "Bessent mocks Newsom at Davos as 'Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken,'" Fox News, January 21, 2026.
- Jennifer Jacobs, "Gavin Newsom Slides Up to Front Row Of Trump Treasury Sec's Davos Talk and Trolls Him Throughout," Mediaite, January 20, 2026.
- Yue Stella Yu, "California is still in the red with another big budget deficit projected for next year," CalMatters, November 20, 2025.
- Bill Melugin, "FOX 11 obtains exclusive photos of Gov. Newsom at French restaurant allegedly not following COVID-19 protocols," Fox 11 Los Angeles, November 19, 2020.
- Laurel Rosenhall, "Unmasked: Doctors' association execs joined Newsom at lobbyist's birthday bash," CalMatters, November 19, 2020.
