Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) is not mincing words when it comes to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and California's proposed billionaire tax. On Saturday, Khanna took to X to accuse the governor of "shilling for Prop 42, a billionaire-backed initiative, banning billionaires from EVER facing a tax."

"Come on, man," Khanna wrote, adding that he stood with unions in supporting a billionaire tax "so poor kids in California do not lose healthcare."

The back-and-forth escalated when a Fox News reporter asked Newsom about the criticism. The governor fired back that "the firefighters oppose it, the teachers oppose it, Planned Parenthood opposes it" and that the "vast majority of labor opposes it." Newsom called the proposal "a badly written initiative," arguing that it focused on one part of California's budget and would generate "one-time money." He also said, "People have left the state."

But Newsom wasn't entirely dismissive of tax reform. He acknowledged the need for national changes, saying the country needs "a new tax bracket for the very wealthy" and must address carried interest and inheritance taxes.

Khanna Draws a Line in the Sand

In a separate post, Khanna made it clear he would not stay quiet about a failed status quo in the name of party unity. "Not going to betray voters done with the donor class," he wrote, listing his priorities: taxing billionaires, Medicare for All, free child care, free college and trade schools, and no U.S. aid to Israel.

He concluded with a declaration that drew a sharp distinction between his progressive agenda and the approach associated with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.): "I am a New Deal Democrat, not a Chuck Schumer Democrat."

Democrats Push Wealth Tax on Billionaires

The California fight is part of a broader push among Democrats to tax the ultra-wealthy. On Thursday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) renewed her call for a wealth tax to fund child care, free community college and Medicare expansion. Last month, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) backed California's proposed 5% billionaire wealth tax, saying it could preserve health care coverage for 3 million working-class residents.

Not everyone is on board. In August, billionaire Mark Cuban warned Khanna that the tax could drive startups out of California, saying he would require companies to relocate before investing in them.

The debate over California's billionaire tax is far from settled, but one thing is clear: Khanna is not backing down, and he's not afraid to take on his own party's governor to make his point.