California governor to release new ad against Trump's tariffs

California Governor Gavin Newsom will release a national ad opposing U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy, which Newsom claims risks "ending America's run as the world's greatest economy."

According to a Politico report on Friday, the 30-second ad is set to air on "Fox and Friends" this weekend. The report notes that this move aims to "simultaneously cast Newsom as cheerleader for the Golden State's economy and top critic of the president's signature policy."

The move "marks a return to Newsom's well-worn playbook of goading Republicans on their home turf. It is also a notable escalation in the governor's antagonism toward Trump after months of striving to defuse tensions with the White House," the report added.

The ad, posted to YouTube on Thursday, features Newsom speaking directly to the camera against a backdrop of the Port of Oakland.

Newsom highlighted California's rise to become the world's fourth-largest economy, attributing the achievement to "reducing trade barriers and delivering for American consumers." He warned that "the Trump administration is putting all of that at risk by halting the delivery of essential goods through our ports."

He further cautioned that Trump's tariffs could slow down imports, potentially leading to empty store shelves during back-to-school or Christmas shopping seasons.

"It's school backpacks in a few months, it'll be Christmas toys, these tariffs punish families," Newsom said.

The ad was funded through Newsom's 2022 gubernatorial campaign account, the report said. A spokesperson declined to disclose the cost of the ad buy.

(With input from Xinhua)