Speaker Mike Johnson, Jeff Landry tell Gavin Newsom to mind his own business after Shreveport insult
During an interview this week with Brian Tyler Cohen, Newsom criticized President Trump's police takeover in Washington, D.C., and previous National Guard activations in Los Angeles while invoking Johnson's hometown of Shreveport as an example of crime chaos.
'I think (Trump) should start with Shreveport, La., and Speaker Johnson's district that has six times plus the per capita murder rate of Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco," Newsom said in the interview. What about the carnage, Mr. President, in Shreveport? Why aren't you protecting the folks there?"
In a text to USA Today Network Saturday, Johnson said Newsom "should spend less time commenting on national affairs and trying to subvert state laws for a blatant power grab, and much more time working to change the disastrous, far-left policies that are destroying his state."
"Republicans will not be lectured about what makes the American people safe by a man who has repeatedly protected violent criminals and illegal aliens," Johnson said. "While Democrats have created crime crises through radical policies like defunding the police, President Trump and Republicans are serious about solving this scourge in America's capital city and across the nation."
Most of Shreveport is actually represented in Congress now by Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, though Johnson still represents a small portion of his hometown. USA Today is seeking comment from Fields.
Though Shreveport was considered one of America's most dangerous cities as recently as 2023, Landry, Louisiana's Republican governor, and Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said violent crime fell significantly in 2024 and so far in 2025.
"Gov. Newsom may hold his own opinions but he is not entitled to distort the facts; homicides in Shreveport are down 40% this year, and we are continuing to see a significant decline in crime," Landry said Saturday in a text to USA Today Network.
"Gavin has done a great job of wrecking California, we don't need him doing the same to the rest of the country," Landry said.
Arceneaux said he doesn't want Newsom's comments to present a distorted picture of Shreveport to those who live there or would consider moving to the city or investing in Shreveport.
"I would disagree with (Newsom's) assessment," Arceneaux said Saturday as he was conducting "block by block" engagements with Shreveport residents. "For a number of years were on the Top 10 (most dangerous cities), but we're no longer on those lists.
"We've invested in police and technology and our officers are doing a good job."
More: Louisiana attorney general says gaming site Roblox fosters environment for child predators
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Speaker Mike Johnson, Jeff Landry blast Gavin Newsom's Shreveport insult
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