Governor Gavin Newsom’s top communications aide, Izzy Gardon, has been revealed as the man behind California’s official @GovPressOffice account — an account that now spends its time mocking President Donald Trump while the state seeks $40 billion in federal disaster aid.
Gardon, who serves as Newsom’s Director of Communications, confirmed on his personal X account that he is responsible for the “bad work related tweets” coming from @GovPressOffice. Once a high school student body president, Gardon’s résumé includes various political social media jobs before joining Newsom’s staff. His digital counterpart, Camille Zapata, manages other accounts, but Gardon controls the governor’s official press office account.
The @GovPressOffice feed has shifted from routine press updates to posts mimicking Trump’s Truth Social style — full of ALL CAPS rants and mocking language. Critics note the impersonation lacks Trump’s wit, instead offering a bitter caricature of what Democrats imagine the president sounds like. Gardon himself frequently retweets his “greatest hits” and takes pride in living “rent-free” in the president’s head.
On his personal account, Gardon has also targeted Republicans, including mocking Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ appearance. This reflects the increasingly aggressive tone adopted by Governor Newsom, who has made personal attacks on President Trump a hallmark of his recent public comments.
The timing raises serious questions. California is currently pressing Congress for $40 billion in supplemental wildfire relief. With President Trump required to sign any final legislation, state leaders risk undermining negotiations by using official government channels to attack him. Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA) has argued that aid should not be withheld for political reasons, but congressional approval is far from certain.
Observers note that Newsom once praised President Trump during the pandemic when California needed emergency federal help. But with no reelection bid ahead and clear ambitions for a 2028 presidential campaign, Newsom appears willing to gamble. By allowing Gardon to weaponize the state’s press office for partisan attacks, Newsom risks both federal relief for wildfire victims and his credibility as a governor seeking bipartisan cooperation.
