California Gov. Newsom calls for special legislative session after Trump win

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued a proclamation on Thursday to convene a special session of the state legislature, with the goal of preserving civil rights and enabling potential litigative action ahead of the incoming Trump administration.

The special session, scheduled to begin on Dec. 2, will focus on strengthening California legal resources to safeguard fundamental rights, reproductive freedoms, climate action and immigrant families, according to the proclamation.

 “The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won’t sit idle,” Newsom, widely seen as a prospective Democratic candidate for the White House in 2028, said in a statement.

“California has faced this challenge before, and we know how to respond,” he continued. “We will do everything necessary to ensure Californians have the support and resources they need to thrive.”

The proclamation will be the first of several initiatives taken by Newsom, in partnership with the legislature, to start “shoring up California's defenses against an incoming federal administration that has threatened the state on multiple fronts,” according to the governor's office.

California Attorney-General Rob Bonta echoed these sentiments at a Thursday press conference, stressing that he “will continue to use the full force of the law, the full authority of my office, to address injustice, to stand up for all people, especially those who have been long overlooked and under valued.”

 “I'm here today to reassure you that in California, progress will prevail, no matter who is in the White House, no matter who controls Congress,” Bonta said. “In California, we will choose calm over chaos, fact over fiction, belonging over blame.”

The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.

Trump and Newsom battled during the presidential campaign, which featured another Californian in Vice President Kamala Harris. Newsom was a prominent surrogate for Harris and was crowned with the nickname “New-scum” by Trump.

Newsom's proclamation, issued just before the attorney-general’s address, pointed to “the track record of the first Trump administration,” combined with campaign statements and documents, as reason for believing that California could endure detrimental consequences.

Among the concerns listed were continued attacks on reproductive freedom, the undoing of clean vehicle policies and long-standing environmental protections, the potential repeal of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and the separation of migrant families, the withholding of disaster aid as political retribution and the politicization of grant programs.

The special session will consider and potentially enact necessary legislation to provide additional funding to the California Department of Justice and offices within the Executive branch, per the proclamation.

Those funds would serve to bolster the ability of these agencies to immediately file litigation challenging actions taken by the incoming Trump administration and defend against lawsuits or enforcement actions launched by that administration, the document stated.

The session will also allow legislators to make conforming changes to existing law, consistent with those litigative needs, according to the proclamation.  

While Trump won a resounding victory over Harris, sweeping the swing states and winning the popular vote, she easily defeated him in California. With 60 percent of the vote counted, she led by 1.7 million votes, according to Decision Desk HQ.

“Voters sent a clear message this election, and we need to lean-in and listen,” California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D) said in a statement.

“But we also must be prepared to defend California values, no matter the challenges ahead, so it makes sense to consider the Governor’s proposal,” Rivas added.

State Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D) offered similar comments, stressing that Trump's first term showed that he “will do what it takes to get his way no matter how dangerous the policy may be.”

“California has come too far and accomplished too much to simply surrender and accept his dystopian vision for America,” McGuire added. “This is an important first step in protecting our progress and the values that make this state great.”