California Governor Gavin Newsom took aim at President Donald Trump and General Motors on Monday, as Trump visited a GM facility in Milford, Michigan, and shrugged off questions about rising gas prices. The political clash highlights the ongoing tension between California's aggressive climate policies and the Trump administration's push to roll back emissions standards.

Trump Doesn't Care About Rising Costs?

Newsom quoted a post by user @factpostnews on X, which shared a video of Trump being asked about rising gas prices. Trump's response? A simple "No." Newsom didn't let that slide. "Trump isn't just making life harder for working Americans, he flat-out doesn't care," Newsom wrote in his post, criticizing the president's apparent indifference to the pain at the pump.

Trump Visits GM, Orders 250 Escalades

Meanwhile, Trump was in Michigan rallying at GM's Milford facility, where he got a look at various models, including the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado. During his address, he revealed that the White House had placed an order for 250 Cadillac Escalade SUVs. "We look sharp in those Escalades," Trump said. "Our guys are very spoiled. They like the Escalade. So do I." The comment drew cheers from the crowd and highlighted the administration's cozy relationship with the automaker.

But Newsom's press office was quick to fire back. Quoting a video of GM CEO Mary Barra introducing Trump at the event, the press office posted: "Reminder: GM helped Trump gut California’s clean car standards so they could sell more polluting vehicles instead of competing for the future. American workers lose. China wins. SAD!" The post referenced GM's opposition to California's EV mandate, which the automaker argued was premature given falling demand for electric vehicles. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) has also accused the Trump administration of trying to derail the state's emissions goals.

California's EV Program Steps In

In response to the federal rollback, California unveiled the MyFirstEV Program, targeting first-time EV buyers with an instant $3,500 discount on new electric vehicles and a $1,750 discount on used EVs. Newsom touted the program as a way to fill the void left by Trump after the end of the $7,500 federal EV credit, and as a means for the U.S. clean energy sector to compete against Chinese EVs. The move underscores California's determination to push forward with electrification despite federal headwinds.

GM, for its part, recently reported its Q2 2026 earnings. The company's stock was down 0.05% to $87.00 in overnight trading on Monday. According to market data, GM offers excellent momentum and scores well on value and quality metrics, with favorable price trends in the short, medium, and long term.

The battle between California and the Trump administration over emissions is far from over, but for now, Newsom is making sure the public knows where he stands—and that he's watching what GM does.