California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the Trump administration’s absence at COP30 an “abomination” and a “disgrace” during a panel discussion Wednesday, one of several events the governor attended at the United Nations’ annual climate summit this week.
This year’s edition of the summit is being held in Belém, Brazil, and has gathered representatives from over 190 countries for climate negotiations over the course of two weeks with the hope of reaching deals and commitments to accelerate climate action.
However, notably missing from the mix is a formal delegation from the U.S., as the White House declined to send any senior officials to the conference this year. The move is in line with other steps President Donald Trump has taken to reverse the nation’s federal climate policy, including a second U.S. exit from the Paris Agreement.
Last week, Trump’s energy secretary Chris Wright told reporters that COP30 was “essentially a hoax” and “not an honest organization looking to better human lives.”
Newsom has used the conference to distinguish California and potentially elevate his national and global political profile. The Democratic governor, widely considered to be contemplating a 2028 presidential run, applauded his home state on its progress toward a green transition. Newsom said two-thirds of California was powered by clean energy in 2023 and that the state ran on 100% clean electricity “nine-out-of-10 days” this year.
Newsom also told the audience he sought to draw this contrast between California and the leadership situated in Washington, D.C. as he didn’t want the latter to shape the world’s perception of the U.S.
At a separate event held Tuesday, Newsom said “Trump is temporary” and that the world should view the state of California as a “stable” and “reliable partner” when it comes to climate cooperation and climate action.
“I do not want the United States of America to be a footnote on climate policy,” Newsom said.
The California governor’s comments come the same week The Washington Post reported the Trump administration is weighing a five-year draft proposal that would allow offshore drilling along the coast of California.
When asked about the plan at Wednesday’s panel, Newsom said the proposal was “dead on arrival.” The governor also criticized the timing of the reveal, noting its overlap with the opening of the climate conference.
Newsom added that offshore oil drilling is “overwhelmingly opposed by members of all political parties in the state of California.”
The California governor also called out the Trump administration for allowing China — a major economic and political rival to the U.S. — to have an unobstructed opening and influence at a global stage such as the annual climate summit.
“China is here. Only one country’s not here: [the] United States of America,” Newsom said.
Newsom argued that the Trump administration’s decision to steer away from climate initiatives and green infrastructure was making the country lose ground economically and hindering its impact in an international market.
“[China is] sitting back dominating supply chains, dominating manufacturing … because they understand the great economic opportunity to transition to clean and green energy.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect Gov. Newsom’s comments on China.
