Gavin Newsom Roasts 'Good Boy' Ted Cruz With Humiliating AI Photo as Feud Over California Gas Prices Explodes
Gavin Newsom and Ted Cruz took swings at each other online in a brutal feud.
May 27 2026, Published 4:25 p.m. ET
Gavin Newsom insisted Ted Cruz is a total "lap dog" for the oil industry titans in a brutal online roast, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The pair became ensnared in a snarky exchange after Newsom, 58, hit out at Chevron.
Gavin Newsom Shades Ted Cruz's Stance on Big Oil
Newsom used artificial intelligence for the scathing post.
In the latest post, Newsom shared an artificially generated image of Cruz, 55, posing as a dog with a wagging tail. He was down on all fours and sporting a large dog tag with his name on it.
Puppy Cruz bent over a food bowl, which said "Chevron's Lapdog" as he was tied up by a red collar and and leash. A human figure sat alongside Cruz, holding the leash and giving the faux senator from Texas a pat on the head. The individual was dressed in a dashing suit, including a red tie.
Rather than a face, the figure's head was replaced by the Chevron logo. Plus, by his side, a stack of cash was accompanied by a bag that said "Campaign Donations."
"Chevron Cruz is a good boy," penned Newsom's campaign team in the photo's caption.
Newsom Encourages Drivers to Avoid Chevron
Newsom stressed to Californians a plea to avoid Chevron.
Newsom expressed concern regarding the continuously increasing gas prices, especially as it affects the state of California. Over Memorial Day weekend, he asked the public to avoid filling up their gas tanks at Chevron, specifically.
"Pro tip: unbranded gas comes from the same refineries, storage tanks, and pipelines, and it meets the same state standards to keep your engine running clean, even if it doesn’t have a fancy name like ‘Techron,'" the social media post continued. "Big Oil is already making billions off Trump’s Iran War; don’t let them rip you off even more by overpaying for the brand name."
Cruz Brags About Lower Costs in Texas
Cruz blamed California for the rising prices.
Cruz, a known ally of President Donald Trump, appeared to stand up for Chevon and the MAGA policies.
He claimed the hefty gas prices were merely a flaw of Newsom's California leadership. Cruz wrote on X, "Just filled my tank. In Texas, gas is $3.99 a gallon. Hey Gavin—the problem isn’t Chevron, it’s California’s stupid energy policies…."
He included a photo of gas prices, which showed the price at Chevron when paid in cash or with a Chevron card set at $3.99. If paid with a debit or credit card, the price was set at $4.09. Diesel gas prices were set at $5.29.
According to AAA, the average agas price across the United States as of writing is $4.46.
Newsom Revisits Old Grievances With Big Oil
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Chevron previously exited California in favor of Texas.
Newsom's recent swings at Chevron aren't the first as his policies largely focus on a drive for renewable energy. In fact, he accused Chevron and other big oil companies of price gouging.
After the swing at oil, Chevron moved their headquarters out of Newsom's state and into Cruz's in Texas.
Andy Walz, Chevron's president of Americas products, explained in 2024, "We've been doing that because California is a tough place to do business. It's a tough place to recruit people. It's a tough place to move employees – a lot of our employees move up through the company, they gain experience in different geographies, different locations and we have a lot of people who will not move to California. That makes it difficult."
