Newsom clashes with White House over Marine Corps celebration highway closure
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The U.S. Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary celebration at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County on Saturday sparked a heated social media exchange between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the White House.
The event, titled “America’s Marines 250: From Sea to Shore: A Review of the Amphibious Force,” featured a series of festivities at the Marine Corps base, including a large-scale live-fire demonstration attended by Vice President J.D. Vance.
Newsom announced Saturday that a section of Interstate 5 near the base would be temporarily closed during the celebration, calling the show of military force a “dangerous” and “absurd show of force.”
“Due to the Trump Administration’s plans, motorists should expect delays on Interstate 5 and other state routes in Southern California before, during, and after the event,” Newsom wrote to X.
VP VANCE’S CAMP BLAMES THE CALIFORNIA ADMINISTRATION. GAVIN NEWSOM SPREADS ‘FAKE NEWS’ AHEAD OF MARINE CELEBRATION
California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at an event in Los Angeles on Thursday. (Reuters/Mike Blake)
Later in the day, the Democrat accused the White House of denying the claim that highway closures earlier in the week were necessary despite the use of live ammunition.
NEWSOM SUED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER THE ORDER TO DEPLOY THE CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD TO OREGON.
But the White House quickly fired back, accusing Newsom of distorting the facts.
“Newscum is lying,” the White House Rapid Response account told X. “He blocked the highway; no one in the White House or the Marine Corps asked him to do so, the Marine Corps has repeatedly said there are no public safety concerns in today’s exercises. Newscum is lying and trying to make this about himself? The day ends with a ‘y’.”
The White House account also reposted Trump advisor Alex Bruesewitz’s
View of U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushions on the beach during an amphibious assault demonstration as part of the Marine Corps 250th anniversary celebration attended by Vice President J.D. Vance at Camp Pendleton, California, on Saturday. (Reuters/Mike Blake)
Newsom later refuted this claim: ” [California Highway Patrol] and highway safety experts say what anyone with common sense knows: It is unsafe for people to drive at high speeds directly under LIVE AMMUNITION on a major highway.”
“The White House is not communicating, putting the public in danger and then trying to blame the Governor for doing the right thing to keep people out of danger, yet another day living in Trump’s authoritarian America.”
TRUMP APPEARED IN COURT AGAINST NEWSOM WITH HIS FAMILY TIES WITH THE COUNTRY’S HIGHEST BOARD.
This change comes after days of tension between Newsom and the Trump administration over the Camp Pendleton incident.
Earlier in the week, California’s governor described the anniversary celebration as a “flashy parade.”
“Donald Trump and J.D. Vance think closing I-5 to fire missiles from ships is showing respect to the military,” Newsom wrote on X on Wednesday, reposting an “Forget your flashy parade and pay our troops instead.”
But William Martin, special assistant to the president and communications director for the vice president, quickly pushed back against Newsom.
Vice President J.D. Vance attended the Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration as part of the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary celebration at Camp Pendleton in California on Saturday. (Oliver Contreras/Pool via Reuters)
“This is completely fake news,” Martin said in a post republished on X by the @VP X account. “The Marine Corps says they are not shutting down I-5 and that the event at Camp Pendleton was a training exercise. Additionally, President Trump is paying the troops despite Chuck Schumer’s efforts to hold their salaries hostage.”
The Marine Corps’ press release about the festivities on Wednesday stated that “no public highways or transportation routes will be closed.”
CLICK TO REACH THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
The celebration, which is expected to be attended by more than 15,000 participants, has implemented extensive security measures, including detailed risk assessments, emergency teams on site and fully scenario-based air, surface and ground movements. FOX 11 Los Angeles was reported earlier in the week, citing event organizers.
Newsom and the White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
