California Governor Gavin Newsom didn’t miss the chance to take a jab at Vice President JD Vance after he was seen vacationing at Disneyland over the weekend.
After a video circulated on X showing Vance and his family strolling through the Anaheim theme park, Newsom reposted the clip with a sharp message:
“Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you’re tearing apart certainly won’t.”
The Democratic governor’s comment was a direct reference to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has included ramped-up deportation efforts in California and beyond.
Vance, now the face of that policy push, replied with a dismissive, “Had a great time, thanks,” ignoring the pointed criticism.
Newsom’s press office didn’t let up either. In a series of sarcastic posts, they mocked Vance for spending more time in California than in his own state.
“Tired: trashing California for political purposes.
Wired: vacationing here more than staying in Ohio,” one post read.
Another hit closer to home, referencing a Florida immigrant detention facility widely criticized by rights groups:
“JD Vance on Tom Sawyer Island looking for the next Alligator Alcatraz. Too many happy families for him in one place.”
They followed up with a reminder: “35% of Anaheim’s residents are immigrants. Disneyland doesn’t run without them. Enjoy their labor.”
The backlash to Vance’s Disneyland trip wasn’t confined to social media. Protests erupted outside the Grand Californian Hotel, where the VP was reportedly staying, and demonstrators confronted him in the park itself. Videos on TikTok showed Vance being booed by some guests, though cheers were also heard.
One particularly vocal critic was Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Jane Fleming Kleeb, who shouted at Vance in the crowd:
“Mr. Vice President, we support immigrants, we support America!”
Referencing Vance’s earlier claims about California’s supposed lawlessness, she later quipped, “I thought California was violent?”
Just weeks ago, Vance accused Governor Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass of allowing “violent rioters [to] burn great American cities to the ground,” prompting Newsom to publicly challenge him to a debate:
“Since you’re so eager to talk about me, how about saying it to my face?” he wrote on X.
Critics also pointed out the irony in Vance’s trip, given his past remarks targeting Disney. In 2022, he accused the company of “declaring war on America’s children” and profiting from “government handouts.”
But if he was hoping for a quiet family weekend, the Magic Kingdom gave him anything but.
Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you’re tearing apart certainly won’t. https://t.co/GjvIUg8I2B
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) July 12, 2025