Gavin Newsom has delivered a searing message to the leaders of Europe’s major powers, hitting out at them for “rolling over” for Donald Trump.
Speaking to Sky News from the Davos summit, the California governor was asked if he had a message for Europe following Trump’s aggressive threats towards Greenland.
The Democrat said it was time for European leaders to “buck up”, “get serious,” and “stop being complicit.”
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Newsom called on Europe to “stand tall” and “have a back bone” as he condemned them for “rolling over” for Trump.
He continued: “I can’t take this complicity, people rolling over. I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders!
Newsom hit out at world leaders for “handing out crowns” to Trump, saying it was “pathetic” and “embarrassing.”
Whilst Newsom refused to say if Europe should respond to Trump’s tariff threats with their own retaliatory tariffs, he urged European Union to change tack from their approach to the president so far.
He said Trump had “played” Europe “for fools.”
Newsom called for an end to traditional diplomatic approaches to Trump, labelling the Republican a “T-Rex – you mate with him or he devours you.”
He said Europeans ‘could be devoured if they continue down this path.’
“A year ago we should have been having this conversation and they didn’t, and now you’re paying the price,” he said.
Newsom finished by saying that “any objective observer” would have “anticipated we’d be where we are today.”