Politics
California Gov Gavin Newsom roasted over video promoting state's ‘record’ tourism: ‘Smoke and mirrors’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has his head in the clouds – at least that’s the case with a new video he posted to tout what he says are “record-breaking tourism numbers” in the state.
In the video, Newsom appears to be suspended high in the air above the Golden Gate Bridge, leading some online to speculate if Newsom is, in fact, Spider-Man. While others were quick to point out the many issues plaguing California, like crime, homelessness and sky-high prices.
Newsom began the video with, “So, I’m up here on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. A testament to America’s greatness … California’s greatness and we couldn’t be more proud.”
He continued, “Over $150 billion of tourism spent, unprecedented in our state’s history. If you haven’t had the chance to see the magnificence, the beauty of our great state, it’s time to visit California.”
NEWSOM’S ‘FAILURE’ TO ‘DO ANYTHING’ TO STOP UNIVERSITY VIOLENCE SLAMMED BY LAWMAKERS
Critics quickly took to X to share their reaction to the governor’s video.
“Is the @CAgovernor also Spider-Man?” one person asked.
“You are calling the millions of illegals invading California tourists?” one user wrote.
“Weird way to celebrate inflation, but do you bud,” another user wrote.
“Meanwhile, CA residency just hit an all time low. People can’t leave CA fast enough,” another comment read.
“Having illegals cross your border by the thousands doesn’t count as ‘Tourism’….,” another user commented.
CALIFORNIA’S POPULATION HAS GROWN FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2019, ACCORDING TO GOVERNOR’S REPORT
Gov. Gavin Newsom posted a video on X at the top of the Golden Gate Bridge as he declared that unprecedented “record-breaking tourism numbers” occurred in 2023. (DeAgostini/Getty Images/X @GavinNewsom)
On Sunday, Newsom’s office released new data that showed California continues to have the largest market share of tourism in the nation, with travel spending in the state reaching an all-time record high of $150.4 billion last year, which surpassed the previous record $144.9 billion spent in 2019.
“From our world-renowned coastline, to the world’s tallest trees, to our iconic cities and theme parks, California is the nation’s coming attraction. Visitors from all over the world are coming here to experience the wonder of the Golden State, boosting our economy and creating good-paying jobs for years to come,” Newsom said.
California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones disagreed with Newsom’s math.
“Newsom touts a record-breaking $150.4 billion in tourism spending for 2023, supposedly surpassing the pre-pandemic figure of $144.9 billion in 2019. However, when adjusted for inflation, tourism spending would have to be a staggering $173 billion to beat the 2019 number,” Jones told Fox News Digital.
“Of course, everything costs more in California thanks to ‘Gavinomics,’ and of course, his statistics don’t take that into account. It’s more smoke and mirrors as usual with this governor. Rather than chasing headlines with deceiving statistics, he should spend some time actually fixing California and our multiple crises like homelessness, affordability and crime.” — California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones
Jones said everything costs more in California thanks to “Gavinomics.”
“It’s more smoke and mirrors as usual with this governor. Rather than chasing headlines with deceiving statistics, he should spend some time actually fixing California and our multiple crises like homelessness, affordability and crime,” Jones said.
California Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher shared a similar sentiment.
“These numbers are as phony as Gavin’s baseball career – when you factor in inflation (like normal people have to), tourism is down 14% on his watch. Crime and homelessness have become the California brand, and no amount of spin from Newsom will change that,” Gallagher told Fox News Digital in a statement.
In the state’s new data, Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta said California tourism is back where it belongs and is setting records and providing for the workers, business owners and all Californians who depend on the travel industry as a cornerstone of the state’s economy.
“The industry has once again proved its ability to recover from any challenge, whether it be economic or environmental. California continues to be the largest, most diverse and most resilient tourism economy in the United States,” Beteta said.
SI MODEL LEAVING CA FOR TN DUE TO HOMELESSNESS, ‘DIRTY’ STREETS, TAXES AND MORE
Gov. Gavin Newsom said California has experienced record-breaking tourism numbers as the state struggles with a number of issues, including rampant crime and homelessness. (Tayfun Coskun)
According to Visit California, the new travel spending record generated $12.7 billion in state and local tax revenue by visitors in 2023, marking a 3% increase over 2019. However, tourists spent $37.7 billion in the Bay Area in 2023, down slightly from $39 billion spent in 2019.
“It would be great if the governor put as much energy into improving California as he does into taking unearned victory laps with misleading statistics. Maybe then we’d actually break a record,” Gallagher added.
CALIFORNIA GOP LEADERS CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER STATE CAN’T ACCOUNT FOR $24B SPENT ON HOMELESS CRISIS
Gov. Gavin Newsom was accused of touting tourism numbers that don’t account for inflation. (California Governor Gavin Newsom YouTube channel)
The state statistics also showed that tourism created 64,900 new jobs in 2023, bringing total industry employment to 1,155,000.
In addition to visiting the state, more people are moving to California, according to Newsom, who also said the state’s population is increasing for the first time since the pandemic.
Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office for comment but has not yet heard back.
Politics
Trump plans to meet with Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado next week
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President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he plans to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in Washington next week.
During an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity,” Trump was asked if he intends to meet with Machado after the U.S. struck Venezuela and captured its president, Nicolás Maduro.
“Well, I understand she’s coming in next week sometime, and I look forward to saying hello to her,” Trump said.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado waves a national flag during a protest called by the opposition on the eve of the presidential inauguration, in Caracas on January 9, 2025. (JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images)
This will be Trump’s first meeting with Machado, who the U.S. president stated “doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country” to lead.
According to reports, Trump’s refusal to support Machado was linked to her accepting the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, which Trump believed he deserved.
But Trump later told NBC News that while he believed Machado should not have won the award, her acceptance of the prize had “nothing to do with my decision” about the prospect of her leading Venezuela.
Politics
California sues Trump administration over ‘baseless and cruel’ freezing of child-care funds
California is suing the Trump administration over its “baseless and cruel” decision to freeze $10 billion in federal funding for child care and family assistance allocated to California and four other Democratic-led states, Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta announced Thursday.
The lawsuit was filed jointly by the five states targeted by the freeze — California, New York, Minnesota, Illinois and Colorado — over the Trump administration’s allegations of widespread fraud within their welfare systems. California alone is facing a loss of about $5 billion in funding, including $1.4 billion for child-care programs.
The lawsuit alleges that the freeze is based on unfounded claims of fraud and infringes on Congress’ spending power as enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“This is just the latest example of Trump’s willingness to throw vulnerable children, vulnerable families and seniors under the bus if he thinks it will advance his vendetta against California and Democratic-led states,” Bonta said at a Thursday evening news conference.
The $10-billion funding freeze follows the administration’s decision to freeze $185 million in child-care funds to Minnesota, where federal officials allege that as much as half of the roughly $18 billion paid to 14 state-run programs since 2018 may have been fraudulent. Amid the fallout, Gov. Tim Walz has ordered a third-party audit and announced that he will not seek a third term.
Bonta said that letters sent by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announcing the freeze Tuesday provided no evidence to back up claims of widespread fraud and misuse of taxpayer dollars in California. The freeze applies to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the Social Services Block Grant program and the Child Care and Development Fund.
“This is funding that California parents count on to get the safe and reliable child care they need so that they can go to work and provide for their families,” he said. “It’s funding that helps families on the brink of homelessness keep roofs over their heads.”
Bonta also raised concerns regarding Health and Human Services’ request that California turn over all documents associated with the state’s implementation of the three programs. This requires the state to share personally identifiable information about program participants, a move Bonta called “deeply concerning and also deeply questionable.”
“The administration doesn’t have the authority to override the established, lawful process our states have already gone through to submit plans and receive approval for these funds,” Bonta said. “It doesn’t have the authority to override the U.S. Constitution and trample Congress’ power of the purse.”
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Manhattan and marked the 53rd suit California had filed against the Trump administration since the president’s inauguration last January. It asks the court to block the funding freeze and the administration’s sweeping demands for documents and data.
Politics
Video: Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela
new video loaded: Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela
transcript
transcript
Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela
President Trump did not say exactly how long the the United states would control Venezuela, but said that it could last years.
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“How Long do you think you’ll be running Venezuela?” “Only time will tell. Like three months. six months, a year, longer?” “I would say much longer than that.” “Much longer, and, and —” “We have to rebuild. You have to rebuild the country, and we will rebuild it in a very profitable way. We’re going to be using oil, and we’re going to be taking oil. We’re getting oil prices down, and we’re going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need. I would love to go, yeah. I think at some point, it will be safe.” “What would trigger a decision to send ground troops into Venezuela?” “I wouldn’t want to tell you that because I can’t, I can’t give up information like that to a reporter. As good as you may be, I just can’t talk about that.” “Would you do it if you couldn’t get at the oil? Would you do it —” “If they’re treating us with great respect. As you know, we’re getting along very well with the administration that is there right now.” “Have you spoken to Delcy Rodríguez?” “I don’t want to comment on that, but Marco speaks to her all the time.”
January 8, 2026
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