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Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

In recent weeks, Gavin Newsom has been trolling Donald Trump by mimicking the president’s all-caps, meme-heavy, self-aggrandizing tweet style. Here’s a sampling of recent posts from the press office of the California governor’s X account:

NOT EVEN JD “JUST DANCE” VANCE CAN SAVE TRUMP FROM THE DISASTROUS MAPS “WAR” HE HAS STARTED. NOT EVEN HIS EYELINER LINES LOOK AS PRETTY AS CALIFORNIA “MAP” LINES. HE WILL FAIL, AS HE ALWAYS DOES (SAD!) AND I, THE PEACETIME GOVERNOR — OUR NATION’S FAVORITE — WILL SAVE AMERICA ONCE… https://t.co/yKBO6VPA3t

— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 16, 2025

so nice! pic.twitter.com/mkOMRvAalh

— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 17, 2025

This has created a bit of a predicament for the Trump White House. If the president unloads on “GAVIN NEWSCUM” in a Truth Social rant, that just gives the governor more fodder. But the administration can’t merely issue a dry statement dismissing all social-media trolling as childish and beneath the dignity of someone in high political office since Newsom is just copying the president.

So instead, White House officials went with a weird combination of the two strategies. In response to Politico Playbook’s request for comment on Newsom’s trolling, they claimed they’re not thinking about the California governor’s antics at all … by sending this Mad Men meme:

Photo-Illustration: White House/Politico

As Playbook notes, this is “to our knowledge, the first official White House press statement delivered exclusively in meme form.” But that’s not even what makes it truly absurd.

First, taking the time to put together an original meme that says “I don’t think about you at all” suggests that White House officials are, in fact, thinking about Newsom a great deal.

Second, the line is a lie; the rest of the episode makes it clear that Don Draper is actually deeply insecure about Michael Ginsberg eclipsing him at work.

Sure, the retort sounds badass, it’s delivered perfectly by Jon Hamm, and the meme has developed a meaning outside its original context. But if you’re a big fan of this decade-old prestige TV drama who now reads Playbook every morning — which is, I guess, the intended audience here? — the White House’s response is hilariously inept.

Team Trump Responds to Newsom Trolling With Sad Mad Men Meme

Team Trump Responds to Newsom Trolling With Sad Mad Men Meme