Newsom Referenced Secret Service Over Noem Tweet as California-Fed Feud Intensifies

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s official social-media post about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was referred to the Secret Service for threat assessment, after Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli announced the referral.

The post, posted from Newsom’s official X account, read: 'Kristi Noem is going to have a bad day today. You're welcome, America.' The remark drew swift scrutiny from federal and state officials, with the referral signaling that the matter would be reviewed for potential threats.

DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin condemned the post, calling it ugly and suggesting it constituted a veiled threat. 'This reads like a threat. This is ugly, @GavinNewsom,' she wrote, adding that a public-relations stance from the governor’s team could not shield the rhetoric from scrutiny. McLaughlin also noted the broader political climate surrounding the administration’s disputes with federal immigration authorities.

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that a referral had been received and said the agency would vigorously investigate any situation or individual that could pose or be perceived as posing a threat to protectees, especially in a highly charged political environment. He underscored the agency’s duty to assess threats regardless of position or status.

The development comes as Newsom’s feud with President Donald Trump and federal immigration officials has intensified after the governor signed legislation targeting masked law-enforcement officers. The bill bans most officers from concealing their identities while performing official duties in California, applying to ski masks, neck gaiters, balaclavas and similar coverings, with exemptions for medical-grade respirators, tactical gear, and undercover assignments. Newsom’s administration said the measure followed recent immigration sweeps in Los Angeles in which federal agents wearing masks made mass arrests without visible badges or agency identifiers.

Critics argued the tactic sows fear and raises civil-liberties concerns, while federal officials contended that masking protects agents from harassment and doxxing. Newsom and fellow Democrats argued that the action was part of a broader effort to push back against a federal approach they view as overly aggressive. The governor also announced restrictions on immigration agents entering schools and hospitals without a warrant and allocated $50 million to fund legal challenges against the federal government, a move his office said was designed to defend immigrant communities and local autonomy.

Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi said, 'Students cannot learn if they live in fear of being deported,' framing the California Safe Haven Schools Act as a clear message to the administration. Supporters portrayed the package as a direct rebuke of federal enforcement tactics, while opponents argued it undermined federal authority during a period of intensified national debate over immigration policy.

As the fiscal and legal battles unfold, California has contended that these moves are necessary to protect residents, uphold due process, and safeguard civil liberties, while federal officials maintain that enforcement actions must proceed with clear authority and identification to ensure safety and transparency. The exchange underscores a broader, ongoing clash between California’s state policies and federal enforcement strategies, amplified by high-profile political rhetoric and rapid-fire social-media discourse.

Since the start of the year, California has funded more than 40 lawsuits targeting the Trump administration as part of the state’s broader litigation strategy against federal rules seen as incompatible with its policies. Advocates say the state’s actions reflect a belief that state and local authorities should chart a different course on immigration and law-enforcement practices, while critics argue the measures amount to legal challenges to federal supremacy. The unfolding dispute shows no immediate end in sight, as officials on both sides emphasize strategic objectives and constitutional boundaries in a tense political climate.