Newsom mocks Trump's weight after Hegseth insults 'fat' leaders

Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News on Sep 30, 2025

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom body shamed President Donald Trump on Tuesday after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told military brass there’s no room for “fat generals” or troops in the U.S. military.

Trump and Hegseth summoned top-ranked U.S. officials from around the globe to Virginia for a morning rally in which the former Fox News weekend host stressed the importance of physical fitness among all military personnel.

“Frankly, it’s tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops,” Hegseth said at the unorthodox gathering of senior officers. “Likewise, it’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon leading commands around the country and the world.”

Newsom, who in recent weeks has used social media to relentlessly troll the president, posted a photo of Trump on the campaign trail in 2024 with his gut hanging over his waistband as he took off his sports coat.

“I guess the Commander in Chief needs to go!” Newsom, 57, captioned the photo.

The California politician’s name often comes up in discussions about who might represent the Democratic Party in the 2028 presidential election. Newsom told CBS host Stephen Colbert last week he worries there won’t be another election if Trump, who’s constitutionally barred from seeking a third term in office, turns the U.S. into a dictatorship.

The White House dismissed that speculation as “absurd,” according to USA Today.

Newsom is legally prohibited from being reelected in California’s gubernatorial race because he has already served two terms as the state’s leader.

The White House said in April that Trump’s most recent physical measured the 47th president at 6-foot-3 and 224 pounds. His height and weight have long been a topic of debate. When Trump was charged in a New York criminal court in 2023, court records showed he stood 6-foot-2 and weighed 240 pounds, according to Newsweek.

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