Newsom Criticizes Defense Secretary Over Military Flyover Amid Economic Concerns

California Governor Gavin Newsom has lambasted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for sharing a video of Army Blackhawk helicopters flying above race cars at the Indy 500.

The helicopter flyover, conducted by Indiana Army National Guard members in the 38th Combat Aviation Brigade Sunday, was part of the “Pace Lap for America,” honoring the U.S. military and the nation’s 250th birthday.

But Newsom, known for trolling the Trump administration, team didn’t seem impressed, given the economic worries plaguing Americans.

After Hegseth shared a video of the flyover on X, along with an American flag emoji, Newsom’s press office replied, “Sir, we just want lower gas prices.”

Gas prices have more than doubled since the start of the Iran war nearly three months ago. The national average for a gallon of gas is roughly $4.50, and in California, gas costs about $6.12 per gallon, according to the auto club AAA.

An Army helicopter flyby near Kid Rock’s Nashville-era mansion in March drew intense scrutiny. Two AH-64 Apache helicopters on a training run had hovered near his home, prompting an administrative review. Hegseth later said there would be “No punishment. No investigation.”

“This is a level of respect that s*** for brains Governor of California will never know,” Kid Rock, an avid supporter of President Donald Trump, posted online at the time.

The Independent has reached out to the White House and the Defense Department for comment.

After the U.S. and Israel began launching strikes against Iran at the end of February, Tehran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, causing gas prices to skyrocket.

Earlier this month, Trump admitted, “I don't think about Americans’ financial situation.”

“I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” he said in response to a reporter’s question about the economic burden of the Iran war.

Americans are struggling not only at the gas pump, but also with high grocery bills and the cost of other living expenses. In April, the annual inflation rate rose to 3.8 percent, the highest level since 2023.

Meanwhile, Trump and his administration are pulling out all the stops for America’s 250th birthday, including a UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House.

Newsom’s press office reiterated its stance when photos showing the early construction of the White House UFC ring were released. “Mr. President, we just want lower gas prices,” the governor’s team wrote on X Monday.

While the UFC is paying for the fight, which will be hosted on Trump’s 80th birthday on June 14, grand celebrations at a time when Americans are grappling with the rising cost of living can seem “out of touch,” as Democratic Senator Patty Murray from Washington state put it.

Murray was talking to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing last week. She took issue with Duffy’s reality show, which filmed him and his family on a cross-country road trip to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

“Americans don’t have corporation sponsors to pay for their gas,” Murray said. Duffy defended the project, saying at the hearing that it was meant to unite a divided America.