California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday challenged Vice President JD Vance to a debate after the vice president visited Los Angeles and accused him of “egging on” violent disorder in the city.

In a post on his X, formerly Twitter, account, the governor wrote to Vance: “…Since you’re so eager to talk about me, how about saying it to my face?”

Newsweek contacted Vance for comment on Saturday via email to the White House press office outside of regular office hours.

Why It Matters

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have expanded their operations in Los Angeles and across the country as President Donald Trump seeks to deliver on his campaign promise to carry out the largest deportation operation in United States history.

ICE conducted raids in Los Angeles and faced large protests in the city that largely remained peaceful with some instances of violence that prompted Trump to order the deployment of 4,000 members of California’s National Guard and 700 U.S. Marines to assist in stopping violence, even as Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass insisted local law enforcement had the matter under control and a legal battle has pursued.

The raids are following legal directive from federal authorities, but critics have raised concerns about the treatment of migrants by federal authorities as well as the tactics used by immigration agents during the raids.

What To Know

During his visit to Los Angeles on Friday to meet with troops, including Marines who were been deployed to protect federal buildings in the city, Vance said rioters had been “egged on” by Newsom and Bass, telling reporters: “The president has a very simple proposal to everybody in every city, every community, every town whether big or small. If you enforce your own laws and if you protect federal law enforcement, we’re not going to send in the national guard because it’s unnecessary.

He added: “But if you let violent rioters burn great American cities to the ground, then of course we’re going to send in federal law enforcement to protect the people the president was elected to protect.”

Vance also referred to Senator Alex Padilla, a California Democrat who was handcuffed and forcibly removed from a press conference DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was holding in Los Angeles earlier this month, as “Jose Padilla.”

Noem has said Padilla did not identify himself when he arrived at the conference, but Padilla disputes the claim.

Responding on X, Newsom wrote: “Hey @JDVance — nice of you to finally make it out to California. Since you’re so eager to talk about me, how about saying it to my face? Let’s debate. Time and place?”

In a separate X post, the governor shared a clip of Vance calling Padilla “Jose Padilla,” adding: “JD Vance served with Alex Padilla in the United States Senate. Calling him ‘Jose Padilla’ is not an accident.”

What People Are Saying

Referring to the Padilla incident, a Vance spokesperson previously told Newsweek that: “He must have mixed up two people who have broken the law.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said: “Mr. Vice President, how dare you disrespect our senator. You don’t know his name,” Bass questioned. “But yet you served with him before you were vice president and you continue to serve with him today, because the last time I checked, the vice president of the United States is the president of the U.S. Senate.”

She added: “You serve with him today and how dare you disrespect him and call him ‘Jose.’ But I guess he just looked like anybody to you. Well, he’s not just anybody to us. He is our senator.”

President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social last week: “I campaigned on, and received a Historic Mandate for, the largest Mass Deportation Program in American History. Polling shows overwhelming Public Support for getting the Illegals out, and that is exactly what we will do. As Commander-in-Chief, I will always protect and defend the Heroes of ICE and Border Patrol, whose work has already resulted in the Most Secure Border in American History. Anyone who assaults or attacks an ICE or Border Agent will do hard time in jail. Those who are here illegally should either self deport using the CBP Home App or, ICE will find you and remove you. Saving America is not negotiable!”

What Happens Next?

Vance has yet to respond to Newsom’s offer of a debate and it remains to be seen if he will do so.

In December 2023, Newsom debated against Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis after the two went back-and-forth on their policies.

Meanwhile, a U.S. appeals court on Thursday unanimously blocked a lower court ruling that put Newsom back in control of National Guard troops that Trump deployed to Los Angeles. The appeals court ruled that the president can keep control of the guardsmen while legal proceedings in the case continue.