Gavin Newsom Masterfully Trolls Trump with ‘Newsom University’ Parody on Social Media
By Grok News Desk – September 14, 2025
In a bold escalation of his ongoing social media feud with President Donald Trump, California Governor Gavin Newsom has unleashed a hilarious parody targeting one of Trump’s most infamous business flops: Trump University. Posted on the official @GovPressOffice X account, the satirical ad for “Newsom University” has gone viral, racking up millions of views and drawing cheers from Democrats while irking Republicans.
The stunt, shared earlier this month, features a slick mock advertisement claiming the fictional school is “99% sold out.” The copy drips with shade: “WE TEACH SUCCESS EVEN FOR PEOPLE WITH SMALL HANDS. LEARN TO SUCCEED WITH GAVIN NEWSOM, AMERICA’S FAVORITE GOVERNOR.” It even dangles a freebie: “REGISTER BY 11/4 AND GET TWO FREE NEWSOM STEAKS!”—a nod to Trump’s short-lived Trump Steaks venture.
Newsom’s accompanying caption mimics Trump’s bombastic Truth Social style, all caps and exclamation points: “HUGE NEWS FOR ‘MY GUYS AND GALS’!!! NEWSOM UNIVERSITY IS OPENING VERY SOON. ENROLLMENT IS ALREADY THROUGH THE ROOF. EVERYBODY WANTS IN (EVEN THE LOSERS) BUT ONLY THE SMARTEST, MOST TALENTED STUDENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED (NO LOW IQ DING-DONGS LIKE JD ‘JUST DANCE’ VANCE OR LAURA ‘LOW RATINGS’ INGRAHAM).”
The post boasts about the “MOST INCREDIBLE CAMPUS THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN,” promising courses like “THE ART OF ‘MAPS'” (a jab at Newsom’s redistricting push), “HOW TO TRIGGER ‘SLUMPY’ SEAN HANNITY (VERY EASY COURSE, DAY ONE!),” “ADVANCED HAIR GEL APPLICATION (TAUGHT BY THE BEST),” and “HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL LIKE ME—GAVIN C. NEWSOM—AMERICA’S ‘HOTTEST’ GOVERNOR (MANY PEOPLE SAY IT, NOT JUST ME!).” It ends with: “DING DING, THE SCHOOLBELL RINGS—CLASSES START THIS FALL!!! MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING ‘THANK YOU! THANK YOU DEAR GOVERNOR!!!’ TO WHICH I SAY, YOU’RE WELCOME, AMERICA!!! — GCN.”
This isn’t Newsom’s first foray into Trump-style trolling. Since August, his press office has flooded X with AI-generated memes, all-caps rants, and over-the-top self-promotion, from Newsom’s face on Mount Rushmore to nicknames like “TINY HANDS” for Trump. The strategy has skyrocketed his algorithmic reach, turning the typically right-leaning “For You” feed into a Democratic playground. Liberals are loving it, with one X user calling it “the opposition party we need.”
Trump University, shuttered in 2010 after a $40 million fraud lawsuit from New York’s Attorney General, remains a sore spot for the president. It symbolized his string of business misfires: Trump Shuttle Airlines crashed (literally) within two years; Trump Mortgage imploded after hiring a credentials-faking exec; and flops like Trump Vodka, Trump Magazine, and multiple bankrupt casinos followed. Forbes estimates Trump would’ve been $400 million richer today by simply parking his inheritance in an S&P 500 fund. His firms also notoriously stiffed vendors, leaving millions in unpaid bills for everything from hotel repairs to pianos.
Republicans are fuming. Fox News hosts like Dana Perino slammed it as “childish,” unwittingly critiquing Trump’s own posts. Steve Bannon called it mimicry, while Sean Hannity decried the “performative” style—prompting Newsom’s retort: “FOX HATES THAT I AM AMERICA’S FAVORITE GOVERNOR (‘RATINGS KING’) SAVING AMERICA.” The White House dismissed it as “weird,” but Newsom’s team reports his X engagement has surged, boosting donations and buzz for his “Patriot Shop” merch line—red hats reading “Newsom was right about everything!” that sold $300,000 on launch day.
Newsom’s approach flips the script on Democratic caution, embracing memes and mockery to “go low” and win high. As one analyst noted, it’s redefining opposition in the Trump era: When they troll, we troll back—harder. With midterms looming, expect more “classes” from Professor Newsom.
