California Democratic governor Gavin Newsom’s press office has come under fire online after using what critics described as a “homophobic” jab involving LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr against a MAGA influencer.
In a post shared on Bluesky on 25 March, Newsom’s press office uploaded a screenshot of a message from right-wing commentator Benny Johnson, host of The Benny Show.
Johnson had posted a clip from his appearance on Jesse Watters’ Fox News programme, where he discussed alleged fraud in California. In the segment, Watters claimed the state was dealing with fraudulent hospices and daycares that had been registered as legitimate businesses in order to access government funding.
Alongside the video, Johnson wrote: “I got a call from the White House after this. There is a reason Gavin Newsom looks so terrified right now. He should be. Buckle up. The fraud investigation is about to get insane. Starting this week…”
The official Governor Newsom Press Office account responded by resharing the post and writing: “We got a call from Grindr after this and said your team was their biggest users. Congrats!”
Rather than landing as the sharp comeback it appeared intended to be, the post drew swift criticism from Bluesky users, many of whom said it relied on homophobic stereotyping.
One user replied: “Man, listen Governor Newsom Press Office, homophobia is a very, very bad look. C’mon now.”
Another mocked the tone of the remark, writing: “Hahahaha! Being gay is funny! Hahahaha! It’s so funny it’s the punchline to a joke! Hahahaha! We’re the good guys!”
A third user suggested the incident reflected a broader shift in Democratic messaging, posting: “Democrats will keep pivoting to the right until they become Donald Trump. We’re gonna get a Democrat running on getting rid of gay marriage by 2032.”
Some commenters went further, calling for whoever wrote the post to lose their job. “Hey there, accusing people of being gay as an insult is hate speech,” one person wrote. “You should fire whoever wrote this.”
Another added: “No way, a politician pushing transphobia is also making homophobic jokes? Inconceivable!”
