Gavin Newsom mocked for ‘testicle-crushing’ pose at NYT Dealbook Summit

During the interview, Newsom sat with his legs crossed in opposite directions, his feet turned outward in a way that viewers though was strange and that he was crushing his own genitals between his legs. Users on X began circulating screenshots of the pose, turning it into a running joke as well as mocking the governor.

One X user said, “I have never seen a man crush his testicles harder than this dude.

“Gavin Newsom: Democrats need to be more ‘culturally normal.’ Maybe start by not sitting like that ever again,” one user said.

“Lmao. Never trust anyone that sits like that,” wrote another user.

Users soon began posting photoshopped images that exaggerated the posture, making Newsom appear even more contorted.

The governor’s office eventually attempted to join in on the joke, posting a photoshopped image of their own of Newsom in a yoga pose on its social media account. The caption read, "Democracy requires flexibility."

The attempt to be part of the joke comes as Newsom has continued trying to broaden his appeal on social media, particularly on X, where his team has worked to imitate President Donald Trump’s popular online presence. Newsom’s social media account has even copied the style of Trump’s posts in the past, such as typing in all caps or using the same sign-offs that Trump uses.