California Governor Gavin Newsom has appeared to retreat from his inflammatory characterisation of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as "state sponsored terrorism," a week after the fatal shooting of mother-of-three Renee Good.
A Controversial Social Media Post and a Podcast Clarification
The Democratic governor, who has built a national profile through combative social media tactics, faced questions about a post from his office's X account on the evening of 7 January. The post, made after Good was shot dead by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, read starkly: 'STATE. SPONSORED. TERRORISM.'
During an appearance on commentator Ben Shapiro's podcast on Thursday, Newsom was challenged over the remark. Shapiro argued that such language "makes our politics worse," while also disagreeing with the Trump administration's description of Good as a domestic terrorist. "Our ICE officers are obviously not terrorists, a tragic situation is not state sponsored terrorism," Shapiro stated.
In response, Newsom nodded and replied, "Yep... Yeah, yeah I think that's fair." Shapiro's outlet, The Daily Wire, later categorised the governor's comments as "walking back" his previous stance.
From Strong Condemnation to Support for Reform
The shift in tone marks a notable contrast from Newsom's initial reaction. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, he was among several high-profile Democrats to launch a fierce attack on the Trump administration. He accused ICE of having "rampaged across America" and claimed Trump's "deliberate escalation of intimidation and chaos has consequences."
During the podcast interview, however, Newsom pivoted to advocating for "comprehensive immigration reform," though he did not elaborate on specific policies. He strongly defended California's status as a 'sanctuary state,' arguing that such jurisdictions have lower crime rates than non-sanctuary areas. "So this notion that it somehow increases crime is also, I think, contradicted on the basis of the facts," he told Shapiro.
Wider Political Fallout and the Incident Itself
Newsom's earlier rhetoric has drawn sharp rebukes from federal officials. In September 2025, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin slammed him for "fanning the flames of division, hatred and dehumanization of our law enforcement" after he signed a 'No Secret Police Act' barring certain officers from wearing face masks.
The incident that sparked the controversy occurred on 7 January. Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was shot three times in the face by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Authorities stated she ignored demands to exit her car, reversed, and attempted to drive off during a protest. Witnesses said Good and her wife were acting as legal observers filming the event.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem swiftly defended the agent, calling Good's actions "an act of domestic terrorism" and stating Ross followed his training, believing he was about to be run over. Good's death has since triggered nationwide protests and calls for ICE to be removed from sanctuary cities.
Newsom's calibrated response highlights the delicate balance for national Democratic figures navigating the intensely polarised debate over immigration enforcement and law enforcement rhetoric.
