California Governor Gavin Newsom took a victory lap at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, celebrating the state's clean energy push as EV sales crossed the 2.5 million mark. But he didn't stop there—he also took some pointed shots at the Trump administration's energy policies.

Taking Aim at Washington

Writing on X Tuesday, Newsom framed California's achievement as happening despite federal headwinds. The state hit 2.5 million EV sales while "Washington now cedes the global clean vehicle market to China," he wrote. His message: California is "ensuring American workers and manufacturers" can compete in industries that "will define this century."

Crushing Original Targets

The numbers back up the bragging rights. An official press release from the Governor's office noted that 2.5 million figure blows past California's original goal of 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025. The state has seen EV adoption surge 300% since 2019, driven by regulatory support.

Even after federal tax credits expired on September 30, Californians bought 79,066 new zero-emission vehicles, representing 18.9% of new car sales. Newsom has proposed a $200 million incentive program to keep momentum going.

The Canada-China Wild Card

Newsom's office also went after Trump for what it sees as a diplomatic failure. Canada recently struck a tariff agreement with China allowing up to 49,000 Chinese EVs into the Canadian market, with potential growth to 70,000 vehicles within five years.

"Donald Trump has driven away the United States' second-largest trading partner," the statement said, warning that China's deal with Canada threatens "America's leadership in electric vehicle manufacturing."

The Other Side of the Coin

This isn't Newsom's first critique of Trump's approach. He previously slammed the administration for relaxing Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards—a move celebrated by Ford Motor Co. (F) CEO Jim Farley.

Trump has been equally blunt in the opposite direction. He called the Biden administration's CAFE standards "ridiculous" and criticized what he termed Biden's "war" on internal combustion engines. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed that message, claiming a "backdoor EV mandate" under the previous administration drove up vehicle prices.

So here we are: California charging ahead on EVs while Washington pumps the brakes, with both sides convinced they're protecting American interests.