“The more Trump takes the bait, the more attention he gets in return,” said a Newsom adviser who spoke on the condition of anonymity about the political aspects of the trip. — But it's about something much bigger. The point is to draw attention to the fact that what Trump is doing is out of line, not normal and does not reflect the views of Americans. It certainly doesn't reflect what Americans want, he emphasizes.
In a brief interview with POLITICO, Trump admonished British leaders not to cozy up to California's governor. He also called Newsom a “loser” who turns everything it touches “into garbage”drawing attention to the California governor's recent trips abroad, including this past weekend's Munich Security Conference.
in Munich, Newsom assured international leaders that “Trump is temporary,” implying in a not-so-subtle way that the likely 2028 presidential candidate — one of several potential Democratic presidential candidates there — wants to be the next to shape America's foreign policy.
“Donald Trump is kneeling before coal and big oil, selling America's future to China,” Izzy Gardon, the governor's spokesman, said in a statement. “Foreign leaders reject Trump and choose California's vision for the future,” he said, adding: “We thank the president for drawing attention to this matter.”
Although Trump and Newsom are often at odds, the announcement of the agreement reached by the governor and British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband it particularly irritated the president. He said it was “inappropriate” for Newsom to enter into such deals and also criticized British officials, saying it was “inappropriate for them to cooperate with him.”
Energy Security Secretary Ed Miliband and California Governor Gavin Newsom sign the Clean Energy Agreement in London, February 16, 2026.Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images/Getty Images
In a statement, a spokesman for the UK's Department of Energy Security and Net Zero said the UK “will continue to work closely with the US government on a number of issues”, while also highlighting the majority-Republican states with which the UK has entered into cooperation. “Today's energy agreement is just one of many signed at state level, including with Florida and Texas, that will deliver jobs and economic growth to the UK,” a spokesman said.
California has used non-binding climate agreements like the one with Britain to promote its position internationally for decades, including under former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. These agreements allow California to exert soft power internationally, where a state cannot sign treaties but can promote its economy.
Democratic Party leaders in other states have also adopted this model: for example, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, another potential 2028 candidate, and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed trade and renewable energy deals with the UK last year.
Building foundations
Newsom himself has been a driving force behind the recent surge in bilateral agreements, including before and during U.N. climate talks in Brazil last year, his advisers say. There, he promoted California — and himself — as continuing climate action despite federal rollbacks and signed agreements with Nigeria, Chile, and states in Brazil and Germany.
While some of the agreements struck over the years have been largely symbolic, others have had significant impact, from joint research to exchanges of firefighters to the spread of similar climate policies around the world.
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These agreements can serve as personal leverage between world politicians. Former California Gov. Jerry Brown sometimes required the signing of memorandums of understanding as a condition of meeting with foreign officials seeking his time. “It's part of building the foundation,” Newsom told POLITICO while in Brazil. – It's about continuity. It's about business cards. It's about relationships.
The agreement between California and the UK confirms a commitment by both partners to fully decarbonize by 2045 and 2050, respectively. and announces cooperation in the field of renewable energy, including offshore wind energy, in which the UK is significantly ahead of California.
The agreement was accompanied by the announcement that the British company Octopus Energy dealing with renewable energy technologies would invest USD 1 billion. (PLN 3,547 million) in California, supporting projects to remove carbon dioxide from the air using forests and meadows, selling compensation loans to large technology companies and acquiring a solar panel and battery production plant in Southern California, which is scheduled to be launched in July. On Monday, Newsom visited the company's headquarters in London.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
