Newsom urges climate leadership in New York, slams Trump’s fossil-fuel policies

At a side event of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, California Governor Gavin Newsom convened with global leaders and industry executives to advance climate action and clean-energy initiatives, signing an agreement with Spain’s prime minister and outlining steps to connect California’s carbon market with Washington state. He castigated President Donald Trump for what he called an abandonment of climate duties, citing the reopening of coal facilities, new offshore oil plans, and a fossil-fuel-centric agenda.

Newsom, who is positioning himself for a 2028 presidential bid, also unveiled a California advisory group to propose AI oversight measures, including a possible “kill switch” for dangerous models, and faulted Trump for lacking safeguards. The White House, through spokeswoman Taylor Rogers, dismissed the governor’s comments, labeling them partisan and defending the administration’s policies. The remarks came as Chinese President Xi Jinping began a state visit to Washington, underscoring the geopolitical competition over clean-energy technology.