Newsom pleads with U.S. allies in Europe to see Trump as temporary

Fortune

by Maria Paula Mijares Torres, Bloomberg

February 15, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

California Governor Gavin Newsom traveled to the Munich Security Conference to address concerns among European allies about former President Donald Trump's influence. In his remarks, Newsom emphasized that Trump is a temporary figure, predicting that Trump would face significant political and legal challenges in the coming years, including potential losses in the 2024 midterm elections and limitations on his tariff authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Newsom stressed that Trump's brand of politics does not align with enduring American values and urged European leaders to maintain stable partnerships with U.S. states like California during a period of national "instability." He highlighted the growing unity among European countries in response to the uncertainty created by the Trump era, suggesting that this could be one of Trump's unintended contributions. The governor framed his remarks as a defense of democratic norms, contrasting "the rule of law" with what he called "the rule of Don," referring to concerns about an "imperial presidency." He also addressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio's earlier speech at the conference, which criticized Europe for drifting away from shared Western values while acknowledging the importance of the transatlantic alliance. Newsom emphasized that while he agreed with Rubio on the need to uphold popular sovereignty and the rule of law, he disagreed with the idea of an "imperial presidency." He urged leaders to focus on maintaining strong subnational partnerships between U.S. states and European nations, particularly in areas like trade, security, and climate change. For business readers, Newsom's message underscores the potential economic implications of ongoing political instability in the U.S. His comments suggest that Europe may need to adapt to shifting dynamics with American states rather than relying solely on federal-level relationships. This could have significant consequences for international trade, investment, and diplomatic relations in the years ahead.

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Originally published on Fortune on 2/15/2026