California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) just shut down a major highway. 

What's more, according to the Daily Caller, is that Newsom is attempting to blame the closure of the highway on the administration of President Donald Trump.

This is because the Trump administration is putting on a military event, that includes training exercises, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.

Shutting down the freeway for the Marine Corps 250th Birthday Celebration going on Camp Pendleton is not the win you think it is @GavinNewsom

We Marines and all veterans will remember your attempt to stop OUR celebration for defending this great nation.

You are NOT a king. https://t.co/z1cceyXLrO

— Gunnery Sergeant Jessie Jane Duff (@JessieJaneDuff) October 18, 2025

Background

The event actually took place on Saturday at Camp Pendleton. Vice President JD Vance was in attendance.

The New York Post reports:

Vice President Vance marked the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton on Saturday, delivering a tribute to the service while promising the Trump administration would refocus the military on “discipline, readiness and faith in one another” rather than “diversity quotas.”

The outlet goes on to describe some of the military exercises that were carried out.

It writes, "Before Vance spoke, US Marines held an exercise in which they stormed the beaches at Camp Pendleton as part of a demonstration of the service branch’s military might for Vance."

This included an "amphibious capabilities demonstration" with explosives.

Newsom tries to capitalize

The California governor tried to politically capitalize on the military event before it took place, including by attempting to blame the shutdown of I-5 on the Trump administration.

Newsom wrote, "Donald Trump and JD Vance think that shutting down the I-5 to shoot out missiles from ships is how you respect the military. PUT ASIDE YOUR VANITY PARADE AND PAY OUR TROOPS INSTEAD."

The White House quickly explained why both claims are flat-out wrong, but Newsom, in response, decided to double down.

He wrote:

Earlier this week, the White House denied the freeway near Camp Pendleton would need to be closed due to live munitions being fired over the freeway. But today, despite the WH’s claims and lack of transparency, California traffic and public safety experts have recommended temporarily closing the freeway to best protect the public. And now the White House is being fact-checked by Grok, the latest Pentagon approved AI tool.

Suffice it to say that this did not turn out to be the big political win that Newsom was hoping it would be.