California Governor Gavin Newsom dominated global headlines at the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, on Tuesday, launching a fierce critique of President Donald Trump's fossil fuel policies while Trump himself boycotted the UN event. Newsom, widely viewed as a leading contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, condemned Trump's second withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and vowed that any future Democratic administration would rejoin the pact immediately and unequivocally.

Speaking to AFP, Newsom labeled Trump's repeated abandonment of the landmark climate deal an "abomination" and accused him of "doubling down on stupid" by promoting Big Oil interests that accelerate planetary warming. He framed climate action as both a moral obligation and an economic necessity, warning that dismissing human-caused global heating — which Trump has derided as a "con job" — jeopardizes worldwide efforts to limit emissions and safeguard fragile ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest encircling the summit venue.

Newsom opened his day alongside Pará Governor Helder Barbalho, proudly showcasing California's renewable energy leadership. He noted that the world's fourth-largest economy now generates two-thirds of its power from clean sources. Between servings of tropical fruit and açaí juice, he held back-to-back meetings with high-ranking officials from Germany’s Baden-Württemberg state, Brazil’s Minister for Indigenous Peoples, and the COP30 president, drawing media attention usually reserved for national leaders.

Also Read: Toxicology Clears Indian-Origin Driver in Deadly California Pileup; Gross Negligence Charges Continue

Although governors like Newsom and New Mexico’s Michelle Lujan Grisham command significant visibility, they hold no role in official COP30 negotiations, which began Monday amid urgent calls for accelerated climate progress. Lujan Grisham emphasized that state delegations aim to signal readiness for deeper engagement and demonstrate how subnational governments fill federal voids — intensifying efforts regardless of Washington’s stance. Christiana Figueres, architect of the Paris Agreement, argued that Trump’s absence benefits the summit by preventing direct interference alongside oil-rich nations like Saudi Arabia.

A University of Maryland study underscores the real impact of U.S. states and cities. It projects that aggressive subnational action combined with a climate-friendly 2028 presidential win could cut U.S. emissions by over 50 percent by 2035 — nearing Biden-era targets of 61-66 percent. Lead author Nate Hultman told AFP that federal structure limits presidential overreach, enabling green momentum even in Republican strongholds like Texas, last year’s top renewable producer. Yet Trump’s recent law ending clean energy tax credits threatens the sector, and his administration scuttled global shipping carbon tax plans with retaliatory threats. Newsom urged nations to stand firm, declaring "Trump is temporary" and calling resistance to intimidation essential for a sustainable future.

Also Read: California Semi-Truck Crash Kills Three; Illegal Immigrant Driver From India Arrested