California governor Gavin Newsom trolls Trump using Emperor Palpatine voice to read L.A. protests post-OxBig News Network

U.S. Pesident Donald Trump and Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine in a still from ‘Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith’
| Photo Credit: AP, Lucasfilm

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office escalated its public criticism of President Donald Trump on Wednesday by releasing a pair of provocative videos that mimic the voice and style of Star Wars villain Emperor Palpatine reading Trump’s own words.

Posted to TikTok via the Governor’s official press office, the videos appear to use AI-generated voiceover to dramatize recent Truth Social posts from Trump about the ongoing unrest in Los Angeles. One video features an orchestral score reminiscent of John Williams’ compositions and animated imagery of stormtroopers and star destroyers descending on a cityscape. A Palpatine-style voice delivers Trump’s words: “A once great American city, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by illegal aliens and criminals…”

A second clip repurposes footage from The Empire Strikes Back, overlaying Trump’s claims that “Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated” without his intervention. Both videos quickly gained traction online, drawing attention to the governor’s increasingly direct attacks on the president.

The social media campaign comes amid escalating tension between Newsom and Trump following the federal deployment of nearly 5,000 troops to Los Angeles in response to protests against ICE raids and immigration enforcement tactics. Newsom condemned the move as a “brazen abuse of power” during a televised address Wednesday evening.

“What we’re witnessing is not law enforcement, it’s authoritarianism,” Newsom said, warning that Trump’s approach poses a broader threat to American democracy. “California may be first, but it clearly won’t end here.”

The federal action, which began June 7, includes National Guard units and 700 U.S. Marines stationed across downtown L.A., with curfews imposed by Mayor Karen Bass in coordination with local officials. Newsom, however, said the White House bypassed him entirely before federalising the Guard, and his administration has since sought legal action to regain control of the state’s troops.

Newsom’s legal team is attempting to secure a Temporary Restraining Order against Trump’s directive. So far, those efforts have been delayed, with a new court hearing set for June 12.

The Governor also described alleged incidents of federal agents arresting individuals without clear cause, including day laborers and service workers in heavily Latino areas. “Donald Trump’s government isn’t protecting our communities — they’re traumatising our communities,” Newsom said.