MAGA Congressman Demands Gavin Newsom’s Arrest

California Governor Gavin Newsom lit up social media this weekend after his press office blasted White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller as a “fascist.” The three-word post, shared Friday night on X, has racked up over 24 million views — and it triggered an explosive backlash from Trump loyalists in Washington.

Among the most outraged was Wisconsin congressman Derrick Van Orden, a staunch MAGA ally who accused Newsom of crossing into “domestic terrorism.”

“This is no longer ‘inflammatory,’ it is criminal,” Van Orden wrote in his own post on Saturday, citing federal statute 18 U.S. Code § 2331. “No one is above the law, @CAgovernor.”

The 56-year-old lawmaker went further, calling on federal authorities to treat Newsom’s statement as a prosecutable offense. “At this point, this reaches the threshold of domestic terrorism,” he declared, attaching a screenshot of the statute defining terrorism as actions meant to “influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion.”

The controversy arrives at a tense political moment. With Donald Trump back in the White House and Republicans seeking to cement control in Congress, Newsom has been one of the most visible Democratic governors pushing back.

Republican Rep. Nancy Mace also weighed in, calling Newsom’s post “violent rhetoric.” But Van Orden’s demand for criminal charges elevated the dispute into new territory, highlighting how MAGA hardliners are weaponizing federal law to intimidate their opponents.

Democrats called the response absurd. “This is what authoritarianism looks like,” a senior California official told us on background. “They’re trying to criminalize free speech while their own people hurl the same insults daily.”

At the center of the feud is Stephen Miller — a lightning-rod figure whose hardline immigration policies defined Trump’s first term. Now serving as deputy chief of staff, Miller has repeatedly used the same insult Newsom lobbed at him.

“If the idea of free speech enrages you … then I regret to inform you that you are a fascist,” Miller tweeted back in 2022. In 2024, he doubled down: “The Democratic Party is now a fascist party. Using corporate and government power to punish dissent.”

Critics quickly pointed out the hypocrisy. “Miller has called half the country fascist for years,” said University of California political science professor Amelia Reyes. “But when the mirror gets held up, suddenly it’s ‘domestic terrorism.’ It’s laughable, but also deeply dangerous.”

Newsom’s office didn’t back down. In fact, it escalated.

“DING DONGS IN THE WHITE HOUSE: IF YOU DON’T WANT US TO CALL YOU A FASCIST THEN STOP DOING FASCIST THINGS!” the governor’s press team wrote Saturday. They also posted a meme of Miller’s face superimposed on Cinderella, slipping on a shoe labeled “fascism.”

The sharp retort signaled Newsom has no intention of retreating, even as MAGA lawmakers talk of prosecution.

For Democrats, the fight underscores a broader concern: that Trump’s allies are trying to redefine criticism of the administration as a crime.

“This is a very dark place for our democracy,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD). “If calling someone a fascist is terrorism, then the First Amendment is dead.”

Whether Van Orden’s demands lead anywhere is doubtful — the Justice Department would face fierce legal challenges if it attempted to prosecute. But the chilling effect may be the real goal.

As one Democratic strategist put it, “They want to scare people into silence. Gavin just showed them he won’t be silenced.”