Even before he was re-elected President, Donald Trump has had some Democratic governors in his crosshairs.

“Gavin Newscum [sic]. He's going to sign those papers. And if he doesn't sign those papers, we won't give him money to put out all his fires,” threatened Trump during a campaign appearance at his California golf resort in September 2024.

And the criticisms of California Gov. Gavin Newsom continued, as just weeks before Trump was sworn into office, devastating wildfires broke out in Los Angeles. But while the president was attacking Newsom, the term-limited governor who has not-so-secret ambitions for higher political office took on a more even tone, even greeting President Trump and first lady Melania Trump on the tarmac during their visit last month. 

What You Need To Know

  • While Republicans control the White House and Congress, Democrats are currently leading 25 of the U.S. 50 states

  • Those 25 state leaders have the difficult task of toeing the line when it comes to pushing back against Trump, while also relying on him when their state is in a time of crisis

  • Ofirah Yheskel, who works for the Democratic Governors Association, says that Democrats will continue to seek common ground with the administration when possible, but are unafraid to confront the administration when they believe their constituents are being harmed by Trump's policies

  • This week, both Democratic and Republican governors are in Washington for the National Governors Association winter meeting

“We're going to need your help. You were there for us during COVID – I don't forget that. And I have all the expectation that we'll be able to work together to get the speedy recovery,” Newsom told Trump in front of reporters. 

“We will – we gotta get it done,” replied Trump.

Ofirah Yheskel, who serves as Director of External Affairs for the Democratic Governors Association, says it's a prime example of how Democrats are approaching Trump’s second administration.

“Democratic governors are focused on delivering results for the folks in their states. So where there's areas to work together, I think they're going to find common ground. But I think when there's bad policy or chaos coming out of Washington, they're really the backstop,” Yheskel said.

“A crisis like a fire in California, Gov. Newsom, I think, is showing that he's going to stand up for the folks of his state, and frankly, work with the president to make sure that people are recovering the fastest that they possibly can. But I think [Newsom]'s also pushing back on misinformation where that's happening. And I think he's a great example of how Democratic governors will try to find that common ground moving forward, but also stand up for the folks in their states against bad policies.”

Democratic state administrations from across the country have been quick to push back on Trump’s executive orders during his first month back in office, filing suits against the administration for freezing federal funding, cutting biomedical research spending, challenging Elon Musk’s role as the head of DOGE, and more. The state of California, at Newsom’s direction, has built a multi-million dollar war chest to actually challenge Trump in court. But they are not naive enough to think they won't need the country's commander in chief when tragedy strikes. Newsom acknowledged that much earlier this month during a visit to Washington, where he sat down with Trump for over 90 minutes, telling Spectrum News he was "trying to turn a page here, a little bit on some of the rhetoric and noise, sort of getting out of the campaign mode into a governing mode."

"It's a familiar one with the two of us, because during COVID, this was the cadence of engagement. There was a lot going back and forth, lawsuits related to, you know, certain actions that the administration took in California, pushing back, but same time we're able to pick up the phone and address issues. And I said this so many times, publicly and privately, everything we needed during COVID, Trump delivered for California," said Newsom. "It was a really interesting dynamic, because it ran contrary to a lot of other states that had a different relationship. So I want to find that space again as it relates to this disaster and recovery."

This week, Trump quickly answered Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's call to declare a disaster in the wake of devastating flooding, which Beshear thanking him publicly for the rapid response. 

"Secretary Noem and President Trump turned around the disaster declaration in near record time. So while I have a disagreement on the future of FEMA, which I think is needed, the president, the secretary and FEMA are doing a great job here with us right now," said Beshear, referencing Trump's suggestion that his administration may get rid of FEMA all together.

Just days later, he unilaterally dismissed New York City’s congestion tolls, which Gov. Kathy Hochul says she will fight in court. Following his decision to strike down the city’s congestion pricing, he declared on social media ‘long live the king.’ Hochul did not mince words in response.

“I'm here to say New York hasn't labored under a king in over 250 years. We sure as hell are not going to start now,” she said to loud applause.

While Republicans have control of both chambers of Congress and the White House, outside the beltway, Yheskel argues, are Democratic governors who are shaping policy for their constituents.

“I think if people are looking for a winning playbook, they should look at Democratic governors. Right now, they're setting the agenda in the States, they're the ones who are focused on lowering costs, which is something that President Trump and Republicans said that they would do on day one,” said Yheskel, arguing its Democrats at the state level who are actually delivering for constituents. 

“I think Gov. Whitmer in Michigan is a great example – heard from the people of Michigan that they wanted the roads fixed and fixed the damn roads, I think, something we really associate with her. I think right now, Democratic governors across the country are laying out things like tax cuts. Gov. [Wes] Moore comes to mind. He's laying out a tax cut for two thirds of Marylanders, because he's heard that people need a little break in their pocketbook.”

And while President Trump swept up the swing states in November, Yheskel pointed out that its Democrats who currently reside in the governor’s mansion in all seven swing states.

“I think they're the path forward for our party, I think they're the most effective messengers. We saw a lot of them being utilized on the campaign trail last year, I think, because they really are able to connect directly with folks on the issues that matter to them,” she said.

This week, both Democratic and Republican governors are in Washington this week for the National Governors Association Winter Meeting, which is in part meant to inspire bipartisanship. Democratic Governors are set to meet with President Trump and cabinet members on Friday and said in a statement Thursday that they “go into this meeting having shared our vision for the future of our states that includes lowering costs for working families, improving health care, making our communities safer, and protecting fundamental freedoms – with the hope of finding a federal government that shares those priorities.”

“We will lay out the importance of protecting the federal programs that so many of our residents rely on, including Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security; as well as the crucial investments into infrastructure, economic development, disaster relief, and more that keep our communities strong. We have all been elected to serve our residents equally, no matter where they live or who they voted for. We will never lose sight of our common purpose: getting stuff done, and building a stronger, safer, healthier, and more prosperous future for our states, our residents and our country.”