Country rock singer and MAGA ally Robert “Kid Rock” Ritchie has responded after California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press office made fun of him in a post that parodied President Donald Trump’s writing style.
Newsom’s press office started mimicking Trump’s Truth Social posts on X this month. These posts are often written in all-caps and end with the governor’s initials, “GCN,” in an apparent reference to the president adding “DJT” to his Truth Social posts. Now, Newsom’s latest target is Kid Rock.
On Sunday, Newsom’s press office trolled the singer by sharing an Uncle Sam-style poster featuring Kid Rock pointing at the viewer while dressed in a red, white and blue hat. “Kid Rock wants YOU to support Gavin Newsom,” the poster reads.
Newsom’s press office captioned the photo in classic Trump style: “I ACCEPT! — GCN.”
Kid Rock fired back the next day, referencing Trump’s nickname for the California governor.
“The only support Gavin Newscum will ever get out of me is from DEEZ NUTZ,” he wrote on X.
Kid Rock has long supported the president. In March, the singer appeared in the Oval Office sporting a flashy suit emblazoned with the American flag as Trump signed an executive order to curb ticket scalping. The singer also performed his 2000 hit “American Bad Ass” at last year’s Republican National Convention with altered lyrics to show support for Trump.
Newsom’s press office then shared another Trump-style post about Kid Rock on Tuesday.
“I HATE KID ROCK!!! — GCN,” the office wrote.
In another post a few hours later, Newsom’s press office wrote: “HAS ANYONE NOTICED THAT SINCE I SAID ‘I HATE KID ROCK’ HE’S NO LONGER ‘HOT?’”
The Independent has contacted Kid Rock’s agent for comment.
Newsom’s latest posts appear to be parodies of Trump’s remarks about pop icon Taylor Swift. Trump wrote, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,” on Truth Social in September, shortly after the singer endorsed his opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris.
He had previously shared an AI image falsely suggesting that she had endorsed him and adding: “I accept.”
Trump also shared another post about Swift in May: “Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’
Trump repeated that claim earlier this month while comparing the singer to actress Sydney Sweeney, who was under fire at the time for appearing in a controversial American Eagle jeans advertisement.
“Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there,” Trump wrote. “It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’”
“Or just look at Woke singer Taylor Swift. Ever since I alerted the world as to what she was by saying on TRUTH that I can’t stand her (HATE!),” he added. “She was booed out of the Super Bowl and became, NO LONGER HOT.”
Newsom, a rumored front-runner for the 2028 presidential election, is rising within the ranks of potential Democratic candidates. A new poll released in mid-August shows he has a 13 percent favorability compared to other potential candidates, indicating voters are responding well to his social media campaign mocking Trump.
Fellow Democrats are also applauding Newsom’s efforts online.
Liberal social media commentator Harry Sisson wrote on X: “I absolutely love how Gavin Newsom is treating Donald Trump with the disdain and disrespect that he absolutely deserves.”
“I don’t think we’re giving Gavin Newsom enough credit for what he’s doing to defend democracy and to stop a wannabe dictator from consolidating power,” journalist and influencer Karly Kingsley said.
