California Governor Gavin Newsom had some fun at the expense of Donald Trump, this time with the goal of reminding the president that he’s free to be himself, flaws and all.
The video, which was posted to social media on Saturday, opens with Trump telling reporters, “I don’t think there’s anything going to get me in Heaven… I think maybe I’m not Heaven-bound” aboard Air Force One last month.
The lyrics to the song “Free to Be Me” by Francesca Battistelli then kick in. The song has become part of a TikTok trend in which people poke fun at their flaws and embarrassing moments, try to look on the bright side, and remind themselves that things could be worse.
Most of the videos, including Newsom’s, focus on the chorus, which contains the lyrics: “Cause I got a couple dents in my fender / Got a couple rips in my jeans / Try to fit the pieces together / But perfection is my enemy / On my own I’m so clumsy / But on your shoulders I can see / I’m free to be me.”
As Battistelli sings about the dents in her fender, Newsom’s video shows images of the Jan. 6 Capitol Riots and a New York Daily News front page featuring a photo of Trump and the headline “GUILTY” after he was convicted of 34 felonies in 2024.
As for rips in Trump’s jeans, Newsom’s video features then shows footage of Trump’s legs, which have made headlines in recent months due to the president’s chronic venous insufficiency.
The video also features a mock-up of Trump reading one of Newsom’s many tweets making fun of him; specifically, a post from earlier this month in which Newsom described Trump’s response to the success of Proposition 50 as “the ramblings of an old man that knows he’s about to LOSE.”
Gavin Newsom/X
The video continues with photos of Newsom and Trump meeting in Los Angeles in January as “perfection is my enemy” plays over the top before transitioning to one of Trump standing stock still as a man collapsed behind him in the Oval Office, accompanied by the line “On my own I’m so clumsy.”
Newsom then brings out the big guns, adding in footage and photos of Trump with his former pal, the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, alongside footage of Trump staring directly at the sun, falling up the stairs on Air Force One, and removing his suit jacket.
The video ends with a screencap of a post Newsom made on Tuesday, turning Trump’s insulting order of “quiet, piggy” that he barked at a female reporter back on him, attaching an unflattering photo of Trump mid-jacket removal.
Gavin Newsom/X
Newsom has maintained a steady stream of social media posts mocking the president since he took office this year, becoming one of his most prominent critics in what many believe is preparation for a potential presidential run in 2028.
Newsom, who was elected governor in 2018, is limited to two terms in office, and will be replaced in the 2026 gubernatorial election. He has previously said that he will make a decision about running for president after the 2026 midterms.
