California Governor Gavin Newsom is at it again — this time spreading blatant misinformation to undermine Vice President JD Vance’s upcoming visit to Camp Pendleton. The event, meant to honor the Marine Corps ahead of its 250th birthday, has been turned into a political stunt by Newsom and his press team, who falsely claimed that the demonstration would shut down the I-5 highway and that America’s troops would go unpaid.
The reality? None of it is true.
The Saturday event includes an amphibious capabilities demonstration followed by a celebration on Del Mar Beach, marking a milestone for the Marine Corps — a symbol of strength, patriotism, and discipline. But rather than showing respect for the men and women who defend the nation, Newsom chose to amplify a baseless story from far-left media outlet MeidasTouch. That report alleged, without evidence, that “the White House will shut down portions of the I-5 for Vice President JD Vance’s Marine Corps spectacle during No Kings Protests, triggering chaos, gridlock, and outrage amid the government shutdown.”
Within minutes, Newsom’s official press account shared the story, calling the event “an absurd show of force” and falsely asserting that troops would not be paid due to what they labeled a “Republican-caused shutdown.”
In fact, the truth had already been made clear before the rumor spread. President Trump ordered Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to ensure America’s troops and law enforcement officers continue receiving paychecks despite the shutdown. The White House Office of Management and Budget confirmed that directive earlier in the week.
Yet, even after his office’s claims were proven false, Newsom doubled down — taking to X to post, “Donald Trump and JD Vance think that shutting down the I-5 to shoot out missiles from ships is how you respect the military.” He then repeated the lie that troops wouldn’t be paid.
The Marine Corps itself swiftly refuted the Governor’s narrative, issuing an official statement that left no room for misinterpretation: “The force training activities planned ensure our readiness to defend the Homeland and protect our Nation’s interests abroad against emergent and unprecedented challenges today and in the years ahead. All training events will occur on approved training ranges and comport with established safety protocols. No public highways or transportation routes will be closed.”
The Corps emphasized that the demonstration will involve coordinated operations across land, air, and sea — all vital components of America’s national defense strategy.
Taylor Van Kirk, press secretary for Vice President Vance, condemned Newsom’s actions in a statement to Breitbart News: “Governor Newsom is deliberately spreading Fake News to Californians to fearmonger and score cheap political points. Vice President Vance is eager to be in California on Saturday celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Corps alongside United States Marines who, despite the Democrats’ shutdown, will continue to receive pay thanks to President Trump’s hard work.”
What should have been a unifying moment of pride for the U.S. military has instead been twisted into partisan theater by a Governor more interested in headlines than truth. Once again, instead of honoring service members, Newsom has chosen to weaponize misinformation for political gain — a move that says far more about his priorities than it does about the event itself.
If they DID fire missles into CaliPORNia, just make sure they aim a Sacramento and LA !!!