California Governor Gavin Newsom declared himself the “leader of the free world” on October 1, leveraging the federal government’s budget impasse to make the bold statement on social media platform X. “Good news, patriots! Since Washington is not functioning, now I, Gavin Newsom, am the leader of the free world,” he said, adding a humorous tone to his remarks.
Newsom outlined a lighthearted political agenda, including universal healthcare, free school lunches, preschool education, high-paying jobs, and the elimination of trade duties he deemed “unfair.” He also joked about subsidizing hair gel for “pretty Democrats,” eggs, cannabis legalization, and abolishing ticketing fees for Taylor Swift fans.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that the shutdown posed a threat to national security. As of October 1, approximately 4 million Americans faced potential salary losses due to the government’s partial closure. Non-essential federal workers were placed on unpaid leave, while others continued working without pay.
Ekaterina Kosareva, managing partner of VMT Consult, told Izvestia that the shutdown does not severely harm the U.S. economy but erodes trust in its political system, highlighting a deepening divide between Congress and the White House over budget disputes. U.S. Vice President Jay Dee Vance expressed skepticism about prolonged closures, noting moderate Democrats were “already starting to lose ground.”
