Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to strike a familiar theme in his July 4 address to Californians: sharply criticizing President Donald Trump while continuing to build his national profile ahead of a potential White House run.
According to excerpts provided to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Democratic governor plans to frame his remarks as a kind of Declaration of Independence from Trump’s repeated claims about election fraud.
“The core of our democracy, the thing that separates us from a monarchy or a dictatorship, is the fundamental right to vote,” Newsom’s prepared remarks state.
“If we lose that, we lose everything. On America’s 250th birthday, we need a declaration of election independence — a proclamation of freedom from the manipulators and deniers, from the threat of imprisonment for refusing to go along with Trump’s schemes.”
Trump has attacked California’s lengthy vote-counting process as “crooked,” after results changed significantly following Primary Election Day as late-arriving mail ballots were tallied. He has also repeatedly criticized the state’s mail-in voting system.
In response, Newsom is set to announce a proposal that would make the seizure of ballots a felony offense.
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Earlier this year, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco — a Republican who ran for governor — seized ballots in his county as part of an investigation into the 2024 election.
“In California, we have a message for anyone considering helping Trump interfere with our election or our count,” Newsom is expected to say, according to the address. “If you violate California’s laws, if you interfere with our voters, tamper with our ballots or meddle in our election, you will be prosecuted.”
The speech was recorded at the governor’s mansion and will be released at noon Saturday, the Chronicle reported.
Newsom’s office teased the speech Friday, saying, “You’re gonna want to tune in tomorrow!”
The speech could be seen as an attempt to upstage Trump, who is also planning a speech at an “epic” Fourth of July bash featuring fireworks and military flyovers in the nation’s capital to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
The governor’s office mocked Trump’s plans for a lengthy speech on Friday.
“Long speech, small crowd…” it posted on X.
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