Less than 48 hours after rolling out a fact-checking website designed to target "right-wing misinformation," California Governor Gavin Newsom was caught using stock footage from Ukraine and Estonia in an ad promoting his state's economy.

The ad, released initially on X and set to run on “Fox and Friends” this weekend, criticizes President Donald Trump’s tariffs while touting California's supposed economic strength.

An overly excited Newsom, however, shared it with his followers on X first. Viewers quickly pointed out that the ad, meant to show the greatness of the Golden State, contained stock footage from a pair of European countries.

"If you're going to brag about California, you may want to start by not using footage from Ukraine and Estonia," an X user responded.

Fox News notes that a simple internet search reveals that Ukrainian photographer Artie Medvedev took the warehouse footage in Ukraine. The office footage was created by a company called Gorodenkoff Productions, which is based in Estonia.

Oof. Missed it by that much, Gavin.

The Democratic governor and wannabe Brylcreem spokesman was forced to remove the ad and replace it with video footage shot in America.

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The corrected ad campaign criticizes President Trump’s tariffs, claiming they harm families and threaten America’s economic dominance. Newsom’s 2022 campaign account funded the clip.

The ad has furthered speculation that it's designed more to promote Newsom's national political aspirations than to promote Californian. Newsom’s ad is part of his broader strategy to challenge Trump’s policies on right-leaning media outlets like Fox News.

Setting aside the fact that California is the worst run state in the nation, Newsom always comes across like a sleazy used car salesman who is going to sell you a lemon and laugh in your face when you try to take it back. How did this guy even become Governor of California?

— John Hawkins (@johnhawkinsrwn) May 9, 2025

Touting California's economy, which under Newsom has seen an ever-rising tax burden, stifling economic growth and driving businesses out of state, massive budget deficits, and a high cost of living leading to population decline, seems like it will play right into the President's hands.

Newsom's embarrassing faux pas with an ad touting the economy while showing viewers a warehouse in Ukraine and an office in Estonia comes just days after the Governor launched a right-wing "misinformation" website.

The fact-check website is designed as a "rapid-response website to set the record straight about the Golden State" and President Trump. 

The site gives a taste of what it's all about by supposedly debunking claims that people are fleeing the state as its front page feature. Reality, however, not to mention data from the Census Bureau, shows more people have been leaving the liberal cesspool than have been coming in for the last 13 straight years on record.

California’s economy under Newsom has been hampered by excessive taxation, overregulation, unsustainable spending, and progressive policies that drive up costs and deter growth, leading to deficits, job losses, and out-migration.

But other than that, things are going great.

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