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'Personal foul...penalty WWIII': California Gov Gavin Newsom trolled after tripping over Chinese child on basketball court

A video shared by RNC Research, a branch of the Republican National Committee, featured Gov Gavin Newsom displaying his basketball skills

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: California Governor Gavin Newsom got roasted on social media after he was captured on video during a pickup basketball game during his visit to China.

The clip, shared by RNC Research, a branch of the Republican National Committee, featured Gov Newsom displaying his basketball skills. He made a move toward the basket, accidentally colliding with a child who was defending him.

The incident took place at Yuying School in Beijing, which Newsom was visiting to learn about agricultural science programs. In the video, Newsom wore a white dress shirt and blue dress pants, showcasing his ball-handling skills.

As he dribbled the ball, he playfully knocked down the child and wrapped his arm around the youngster as they both fell to the ground. They both laughed it off, with Newsom saying, "I got you!"

Social media slams Gavin Newsom over basketball clip

After the clip went viral, social media had a field day with humorous comments.

"Personal foul. Defense #13, penalty WWIII," one quipped on X (formerly Twitter).

"Gavin Newsom runs over his CA voters the same way then tells them it’s their fault for being in his way," another wrote.

"Gavin ran that kid over faster than he does the American people!" a comment read.

"Why is he meeting with Chinese leaders? He has nothing to do with US foreign policy. He’s a governor and needs to stay in his lane," someone else added.

"In the wikipedia for WW3 this will be the first bullet point," another joked.

Gavin Newsom's trip to China

Newsom's trip to China began in Hong Kong, where his primary focus was to discuss climate change.

However, this agenda sparked controversy as eight California GOP House Members insisted he cancel the trip, believing that it was essential for Newsom to address human rights abuses and fentanyl production during his visit.

Newsom, who has been in the spotlight due to suspicions about a potential 2024 presidential run, denied such claims.

Before reaching China, he had traveled to Israel, and upon arriving in Hong Kong, he embarked on a journey that took him to various destinations, including Beijing, Shanghai, the Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces.

His visit met with mixed reactions. Ron DeSantis likened him to Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling them "two peas in a pod."

Newsom remained committed to making climate change the central theme of his time in China, despite ongoing conflicts such as the intense war in Israel and Palestine.

Rep Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, raised concerns about Newsom's trip, arguing that it could inadvertently give China the upper hand in discussions on energy and emissions reduction.

She told Politico that Newsom's focus "is not on addressing climate issues, but instead ceding America's energy and emissions reduction" to the Communist Party of China (CCP), which has governed China since its establishment in 1949.

While the United States and Europe have been making efforts to reduce carbon emissions, China's carbon usage has continued to rise. The Chinese government itself has acknowledged that 80 percent of groundwater in China is polluted, and a similar percentage of major river basins are "unsafe for human contact."

Florida Gov Desantis, in an interview with the Daily Mail, highlighted similarities in the "harsh" approaches that Jinping and Newsom employ in controlling their respective populations, particularly in the context of Covid-19.

Notably, Newsom's trip marked an unusual occurrence, as he became the first governor in more than four years to travel to China. The last such visit involving a governor was in 2017 when former Governor Jerry Brown met with President Jinping.