Michael Rapaport didn’t hold back in a fiery Instagram video this Tuesday, taking aim at California Governor Gavin Newsom. The actor, known for his sharp wit, had some strong words for Newsom, telling him, “There’s no more mistakes for you, you’re done!”
Rapaport took issue with Newsom’s focus on “Trump-proofing” California, pointing out that the governor should have been more concerned with “fire-proofing” the state instead. “You’re talking about Trump this, Trump that—he’s not even president!” Rapaport said. This was posted as devastating wildfires, which have destroyed thousands of homes, raged across Southern California for the second week in a row.
It’s not the first time Rapaport has shared his thoughts on the situation. Though he’s criticized former President Trump in the past, he recently revealed that he lost his vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election due to her stance on Israel.
In his Instagram video, Rapaport didn’t hold back when mocking Newsom’s response. “Get the f— out of here!” he quipped. “We’ll do better next time. We need to learn from our mistakes,” Rapaport mocked. “You’re not running for sixth grade class president!” he added, jokingly calling Newsom “Nancy’s nephew,” a reference to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “Them days are over,” Rapaport concluded.
This isn’t the first celebrity to criticize Newsom’s handling of the fires. Just last week, Rhea Durham, wife of actor Mark Wahlberg, slammed Newsom’s laid-back attitude in a now-deleted Instagram post. She questioned why Newsom was seen laughing with a group of people at a fire base camp, posting a photo of him standing with his hands in his pockets and joking around. “Why is the Governor of C.A standing around laughing like he’s at a tailgate?” she asked.
In response to the criticism, Newsom’s director of communications, Izzy Gardon, explained that “anyone who’s been through a tragedy knows there are lighthearted moments and moments of sorrow.” Gardon added that Newsom, who had been on the ground in Los Angeles for days, had met with countless firefighters, first responders, and victims of the fires.
Since the fires began last week, Newsom, along with Los Angeles officials, has faced mounting backlash over their perceived lack of preparedness and response to the ongoing crisis.
