California Gov. Gavin Newsom drew swift backlash after posting a comparison to a fictional serial killer, a move that quickly spiraled into widespread online ridicule.
The Democratic governor shared an image comparing himself to Patrick Bateman, the violent character from “American Psycho,” while echoing language used in a recent post by President Donald Trump.
“For so many years people have been saying that Patrick Bateman and I look alike. Now this pic has been going all over the place. What do you think?” Newsom wrote.
The post mirrored a message Trump had used when comparing himself to Elvis Presley during a visit to Graceland, but the governor’s version triggered immediate pushback instead of praise.
I think yes, you are a psychopath. https://t.co/0Uof86lzJh
— Bridget Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) March 24, 2026
Critics seized on the reference to Bateman, a fictional investment banker known for brutal violence.
Commentator Bridget Phetasy responded bluntly: “I think yes, you are a psychopath.”
The reaction spread quickly across social media, with multiple figures questioning whether Newsom understood the character he was invoking.
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS VISITING GRACELAND TODAY pic.twitter.com/XkUsbm0lLr
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) March 23, 2026
GOP strategist Erin Maguire wrote that treating the Bateman comparison as a simple question of appearance “tracks,” suggesting the governor missed the darker implications.
Accounts aligned with Trump and the Republican Party amplified the backlash.
This is more accurate
Cc: @TimRunsHisMouth https://t.co/11JA7eTufO pic.twitter.com/l0XuOLTMKZ
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) March 24, 2026
The Trump War Room account circulated altered images mocking Newsom, while the official GOP account posted a side-by-side comparison linking the governor to the cartoon character “Butthead.”
Independent journalist Nick Shirley also weighed in, pointing directly at the choice of reference.
“Not sure if your comms guy read who Patrick Bateman is… but I don’t think comparing yourself to Patrick Bateman is the flex you think it is,” he wrote.
The criticism drew renewed attention to earlier remarks that had tied Newsom to the same fictional character.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had previously described the governor using a similar comparison while speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“Governor Newsom, who strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken, may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris,” Bessent said during remarks at the event.
He accused the governor of prioritizing elite gatherings over issues at home.
“He’s here this week with his billionaire sugar daddy, Alex Soros, and Davos is a perfect place for a man who, when everyone else is on lockdown, when he was having people arrested for going to church, he was having $1,000 a night meals at the French Laundry. And I’m sure the California people won’t forget that,” Bessent added.
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The Treasury secretary also pointed to economic challenges in the state, arguing that Newsom’s policies had driven residents away and contributed to a worsening fiscal picture.
“I was told he was asked to give a speech on his signature policies, but he’s not speaking. Because what have his economic policies brought? Outward migration from California, a gigantic budget deficit,” Bessent said.
He cited additional concerns about homelessness and wildfire recovery, saying, “The largest homeless population in America, and the poor folks in the palisades who had their homes burned down.”
“He is here hobnobbing with the global elite while his California citizens are still homeless,” he added.
Bessent closed with a sharp assessment of the governor’s leadership. “Shame on him. He is too smug, too self-absorbed, and too economically illiterate to know anything,” he said.
Newsom pushed back on those remarks while speaking in Davos, dismissing the tone and focus of the criticism.
“The Treasury secretary talked about a Barbie doll. It was as if he was reading a diary, and had just broken up with someone,” he shot back.
“I mean, it was a secretary of the Treasury using valuable time, yesterday, on the world stage.”
Despite the ongoing friction, Newsom acknowledged a different side of his relationship with Trump during a recent podcast interview.
Speaking with Politico’s Jonathan Martin, he described the president’s approach to personal interactions as effective, even as the two frequently clash publicly.
Martin pointed to their interactions behind the scenes, asking about a recent exchange where Trump offered informal advice on politics and messaging.
“It was a fascinating conversation where he’s just, you know, saying, ‘We used to get along great! What the hell? Hey, we’re gonna be great–’” Newsom said.
Martin summarized the dynamic by noting that Trump consistently tries to persuade people directly. “He wants to win you over in person,” he said.
“Yeah he wants to win everyone over,” Newsom agreed. “That’s who he is.”
Martin added, “He wants to sell you the car.”
“Yeah, everybody. And look, yeah, I admire that on some level,” Newsom said, while also suggesting that the behavior reflects a deeper need for approval.
“I mean, there’s a human quality to that. He needs to be needed. He needs to be loved,” he claimed.
“And you know and – but then you get into some clinical components of that as well.”
The governor made clear he does not center his political approach on opposing Trump personally.
“So look, I’m not – I don’t wake up every day to try to find, you know, a crowbar to put in the spokes of his wheel.”
At the same time, he argued Democrats must take a more aggressive stance ahead of the next election cycle.
He warned that failing to regain control of the House in 2026 could have serious consequences.
“That said, I’m going to stand my ground. I’m going to fight fire with fire. We’re going to have the backs of our diverse communities, and we’re going to fight back. And, yeah, fight fire with fire,” he continued.
“And I know two wrongs don’t make a right, but with all due respect, we’ll lose this country as we try to win that argument, and Democrats are constantly trying to be right,” Newsom said.
“The other side is ruthless, and with respect, my party needs to be more ruthless about winning, because if we don’t win back the House of Representatives, we may not have a fair and free election in 2028, and I really believe that.”
In a separate interview, Newsom addressed criticism over his past comments on Israel, saying he regretted using the term “apartheid state” in a previous discussion.
“I do in this context. I said it, and I referenced why I used it — a Tom Friedman article — in that same sentence where Tom used it in the context of the direction that Bibi is going,” he said when asked about the remark.
Clarifying his position, he indicated he was referring to a potential future direction rather than current conditions.
“Correct. And that is a legitimate concern I have, that I share with Tom — that that direction, if that vision and that direction of the far right that Bibi is indulging, that if they see the full annexation of the West Bank, then that’s not something — that’s a word you may hear others use,” Newsom stated.
He also addressed questions about his stance toward Israel more broadly, expressing support for the country while distancing himself from its current leadership.
“Do I consider myself Zionist? I revere the state of Israel. I’m proud to support the state of Israel,” Newsom concluded.
“I deeply, deeply oppose Bibi Netanyahu’s leadership, his opposition to the two-state solution and deeply oppose how he is indulging the far right as it relates to what’s going on in the West Bank.”