Gavin Newsom used his official press office account on X to mock Kid Rock with a fake performance ban in California, blaming the rapper’s “horrific” music.
The California governor’s post read in all caps: “BECAUSE OF HIS HORRIFIC MUSIC, CALIFORNIA WILL INDEFINITELY SUSPEND KID ROCK FROM PERFORMING IN THE GOLDEN STATE. YOU’RE WELCOME!”
BECAUSE OF HIS HORRIFIC MUSIC, CALIFORNIA WILL INDEFINITELY SUSPEND KID ROCK FROM PERFORMING IN THE GOLDEN STATE. YOU’RE WELCOME! — GCN
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) September 20, 2025
The statement wasn’t a real policy or legal action. Instead, it was a satirical jab aimed at the MAGA-aligned rapper’s politics and public image, continuing a social media feud that began weeks earlier.
Over the last few months, Newsom’s office has mocked Kid Rock’s popularity and even joked about revoking his California residency. One post read that Kid Rock was “a threat to California’s eardrums” and suggested he “stay in Michigan if they still want him.”
In August, the governor’s social media account posted Trump-style all-caps rants, including “I HATE KID ROCK!!!” and a digitally altered image of Kid Rock endorsing Newsom, styled like a mock campaign poster.
The trolling is a political counterpunch that mimics Trump’s approach to online insults. Trump has previously targeted celebrities like Taylor Swift with a similar tone and tactics.
Kid Rock, who has been vocal in his support of Trump and conservative causes, fired back with crude remarks. He referred to Newsom as “Gavin Newscum” and posted, “The only support Gavin Newscum will ever get out of me is from DEEZ NUTZ.”
The only support Gavin Newscum will ever get out of me is from DEEZ NUTZ https://t.co/H67yDceIpf
— KidRock (@KidRock) August 19, 2025
The back-and-forth has played out entirely online, with no real consequences beyond social media engagement. As of the time of Newsom’s latest post, Kid Rock had not publicly addressed the fake suspension.