California Gov. Gavin Newsom attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Bessent also responded to Newsom's characterization of him as a "smug man," saying the governor "strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken," referring to the fictional serial killer from "American Psycho" and the flamboyant doll character from "Barbie."
"[He] may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris. He's here this week with his billionaire sugar daddy, Alex Soros, and Davos is the perfect place for a man who, when everyone else was on lockdown, when he was having people arrested for going to church, he was having $1,000 a night meals at the French Laundry," he added. "And I'm sure the California people won't forget that."
The Cabinet official said the administration would also move to address what he called "waste, fraud and abuse" in the state.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks at the 56th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (Harun Ozalp/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Newsom, who is in Switzerland attending the Davos summit, struck back at the White House on Tuesday by directing his criticism at President Donald Trump and his remarks about acquiring Greenland.
"America’s allies and business leaders need to understand this: There’s no diplomacy with Donald Trump. Get off your knees and grow a spine," he wrote on X.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
He told reporters on the sidelines of the annual meeting later that Trump is a "T. rex." "You mate with him or he devours you. One or the other," Newsom said.
"It’s time to stand tall and firm. Have a backbone. I can’t take this complicity — people rolling over," he added. "From an American perspective, it’s embarrassing."
Ashley Carnahan is a writer at Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bessent-mocks-newsom-davos-patrick-bateman-meets-sparkle-beach-ken