California Governor Gavin Newsom escalated his warnings to President Donald Trump on Monday, cautioning that he is prepared to launch a sweeping redistricting effort in his own state if Republicans in Texas move forward with mid-cycle congressional map changes. The message, delivered in a sharply worded letter, reflects an intensifying political confrontation over who will control the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026.

Newsom’s letter directly urged Trump to halt the Texas initiative, warning that California would counter the GOP strategy with an aggressive response of its own. “If you will not stand down, I will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states,” Newsom wrote.

Texas Republicans are pushing a mid-decade redistricting plan that could wipe out as many as five Democratic-held congressional seats. Supporters of the plan argue that Democratic-dominated states have used favorable district boundaries to secure partisan advantages for years—California being one of their chief examples. The proposed Texas map triggered a dramatic protest from Democratic state legislators, dozens of whom broke quorum by leaving their seats, temporarily preventing Republicans from advancing the legislation. Their walkout has drawn criticism from GOP lawmakers across the country, who say the move is obstructive and leaves storm-affected Texans without assistance.

Newsweek reported that Newsom’s threat was expected, as he has been hinting for weeks that California would retaliate if Texas Republicans approved the new maps. California is already overwhelmingly Democratic, but the governor and legislative leaders are exploring whether additional districts could be drawn to further strengthen the party’s position in the House. Any such effort, however, would require voter approval to override California’s independent redistricting commission, which currently controls how congressional lines are drawn.

In his letter, Newsom accused Trump of “playing with fire” and destabilizing democratic norms by backing what Democrats describe as a partisan power grab. With Democrats only three seats away from reclaiming a House majority, both parties are intensely focused on even small shifts in congressional boundaries. Only a limited number of the 435 House districts are expected to be competitive in 2026, making redistricting battles especially consequential.

Trump’s allies argue that the redistricting push in Texas is necessary to secure the GOP’s majority, which they say is threatened by Democratic-leaning states that have already maximized their own partisan advantages. Republicans also point to the Trump era, when Democrats controlled the House for much of his first term, launching investigations and twice impeaching him—actions the former president and his supporters view as excessive and politically motivated.

Newsom insisted in his letter that he prefers district lines to be drawn by independent commissions, not by legislatures seeking partisan advantage. Still, he said California cannot remain passive while Republicans work to reshape districts in red states. “California cannot stand idly by as this power grab unfolds,” he wrote. He added that California would abandon its own redistricting response only if Texas and other GOP-led states halted theirs: “If Texas and the other states call off their redistricting efforts, we will happily do the same.”

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott pushed back immediately. When asked about Newsom’s threat, Abbott replied that California may be outmatched if both states escalate the redrawing of congressional maps. “If California tries to gerrymander five more districts, listen, Texas has the ability to eliminate ten Democrats in our state,” Abbott told CNN. “We can play that game more than they can because they have fewer Republican districts in their states.”

Meanwhile, the political standoff in Texas continues to deepen. Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that he has filed a lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court seeking a declaration that 13 Democratic lawmakers have vacated their seats due to their extended absence from the state House. Paxton accused the lawmakers of abandoning their constitutional responsibilities and sabotaging the legislative process.

In a statement, Paxton said, “The rogue Democrat legislators who fled the state have abandoned their duties, leaving their seats vacant. These cowards deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process and violated the oath they swore to uphold.” He argued that the lawmakers’ out-of-state protest “cannot go unchecked,” adding that Texas must continue conducting its business despite the boycott.

The court fight, combined with the escalating rhetoric between governors on opposite sides of the country, signals that redistricting—once a once-per-decade administrative process—has transformed into a high-stakes political arms race. Both parties now view congressional maps as essential tools for shaping the balance of power in Washington, and the battle between California and Texas may only be the beginning of a broader national confrontation.