Donald Trump Demands Gavin Newsom's Death Row Decision Be Overturned in Fiery Truth Social Attack: 'Disaster for Justice'
Newsom plans to commute 548 death sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Nov. 14 2026, Published 4:49 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump has lashed out at California Gov. Gavin Newsom over his plan to commute all 548 of the state's death sentences, accusing the Democrat of disregarding victims' families and interfering with the justice system.
In a Truth Social post on Saturday, November 14, Trump criticized the proposed clemency move and called it a "disaster for Justice in America." He also urged that the decision be overturned, although the commutations have not yet been finalized.
Trump referred to 563 people on California's death row, a figure that differs from the 548 inmates Newsom's office says are covered by the proposal.
"Hopefully this decision will be overturned!" Trump wrote.
Newsom Proposes Life Without Parole
The proposed commutations would not overturn convictions, free inmates or make them eligible for parole.
Newsom announced his plan on November 5, saying he intends to commute the death sentences of all 548 people currently sentenced to death in California. The group includes 529 men and 19 women, according to figures released by the governor's office.
Under the proposal, their sentences would be changed to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The move would not overturn their convictions, release them from prison, or make them eligible for parole.
The governor has argued that capital punishment is incompatible with California's values and that life without parole is the most severe punishment the state should impose.
His latest proposal builds on the execution moratorium he introduced in 2019, which halted executions without eliminating existing death sentences.
California last executed in January 2006. Voters also rejected measures to abolish the death penalty in 2012 and 2016.
Court Approval Required For Many Cases
California’s Supreme Court must recommend clemency for 382 inmates with multiple felony convictions.
Newsom's proposal still faces a significant legal hurdle. Under the California Constitution, the governor must obtain a recommendation from at least four state Supreme Court justices before commuting the sentences of people convicted of more than one felony.
That requirement applies to 382 of the 548 inmates, according to Newsom's office.
The governor submitted his request to the California Supreme Court on November 5 and asked the justices to provide their recommendation by the end of the year, allowing him to act before leaving office in January.
The court opened the matter to outside legal arguments on November 10, inviting interested parties to submit briefs. The initial deadline for those filings is November 24, with the governor's response due December 4. No final decision has been announced.
If the proposal proceeds, it would represent the largest mass commutation of death sentences in U.S. history. Newsom's office estimates that the move would reduce the country's death-row population by nearly 30%.
Prosecutors Challenge Sweeping Clemency
Newsom imposed a moratorium on executions in 2019; California has not executed anyone since 2006.
Newsom's announcement has prompted opposition from prosecutors and relatives of some victims, while others have supported ending capital punishment. His office says victim advocates are working to notify affected families and provide assistance.
The Criminal Justice Legal Foundation announced plans to challenge the proposal.
On November 12, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman also announced that his office would support the legal effort, arguing that the governor's decision disregards victims' families and the judgments of juries and judges.
"When we bring these cases on behalf of victims' families, we make a promise to them that if they let the justice system do its job and don't take justice into their own hands, we will let the facts and the law play out in a courtroom," Hochman said.
Hochman's objection centers on the possibility that a blanket clemency decision could replace sentences reached through individual trials without separately considering the circumstances of each case.
Trump-Newsom Feud Resurfaces
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Relatives of victims have expressed differing views on Newsom’s plan, according to the governor’s office.
Trump's latest criticism adds to his longstanding political clashes with Newsom, with the two previously sparring over California's wildfire response, federal disaster assistance and the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles during immigration enforcement protests.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche also weighed in on November 12, describing Newsom's proposal as "unfortunate." He expressed sympathy for victims' families, saying they had received justice under the law only to see a different outcome proposed.
Blanche also compared the move with former President Joe Biden's 2024 decision to commute the federal death sentences of 37 inmates.
Trump has similarly argued that the proposed commutations would deny victims' relatives the justice they expected. His demand for the decision to be reversed comes as Newsom's plan faces legal scrutiny and opposition from prosecutors.
