California Governor Gavin Newsom drew widespread online mockery after The Post highlighted a peculiar moment during an interview in which he sat in a knee-over-knee position that many described as painfully awkward.
In response, Newsom’s press office posted an AI-altered image on X Friday showing the governor in an even more exaggerated, yoga-like pose on stage at The New York Times Dealbook Summit. The caption read, “Democracy requires flexibility.”
The attempt at humor did not land well. X users quickly skewered the governor, criticizing both the pose and the tone of the post.
“They…Posted this?” questioned Mark Mitchell of the Rasmussen Report.
User Viva Frei added, “In a moment of rare honesty, Gavin Newsom replicates the position of his typical California citizen as he prepares to tax them even more.” Another user sarcastically noted, “This isn’t a parody account.”
Critics highlighted a perceived disconnect between self-deprecating humor and Newsom’s public persona. “Self-deprecating humor doesn’t work with Gavin Newsom. He’s too narcissistic,” wrote one user. Another simply asked, “What the f–k are we doing in this country?”
The original controversy dates back to Dec. 4, when The Post spotlighted Newsom sitting with his legs crossed knee-over-knee while discussing National Guard policies with Andrew Sorkin of The New York Times. Footage shared on X prompted comments like, “I have never seen a man crush his testicles harder than this dude,” from user BoredElonMusk.
The AI-enhanced post and ensuing memes have further fueled online debate, particularly as speculation continues about Newsom’s potential 2028 presidential ambitions.