California Governor Gavin Newsom, known for his flair for political theatrics, found himself in a cringe-worthy viral moment Thursday when he appeared to fake a phone call with President Joe Biden to escape an angry Los Angeles resident amid ongoing wildfires.

In a video captured by Sky News, Newsom was confronted by Rachel Darvish, a resident displaced by the fires, who demanded answers about the state’s response. “Governor, you got a second? Governor! I live here, governor! That was my daughter’s school, governor!” she shouted as she approached him.

Newsom, clearly in a bind, pointed to his phone and declared, “I’m literally talking to the president right now.” He added that the “call” was specifically to address what could be done for her and her daughter.

But Darvish wasn’t buying it. “Can I hear it? Can I hear your call? Because I don’t believe it,” she challenged. That’s when Newsom’s story took a sudden shift. “I’m sorry, there’s literally– I’ve tried five times, that’s why I’m walking around to make the call,” he stammered.

The exchange quickly turned into a comedy of errors. When Darvish pressed, “Why is the president not taking your call?” Newsom offered a classic excuse: “Because it’s not going through. That’s why I have to get cell service.”

Unfazed, Darvish insisted, “Let’s get it. I want to be here when you call the president.”

Newsom apologized, attempting to reassure her: “I appreciate it. I’m doing it right now… to get reimbursements, individual assistance, and to help you. I’m devastated for you. I’m so sorry, especially for your daughter.”

Darvish, however, wasn’t done, grilling the governor over why fire hydrants lacked water when firefighters needed it most. Newsom responded vaguely, promising to “address everything” before retreating into his car and driving away.

Darvish later appeared on Fox News and other outlets, recounting the interaction and slamming the state’s lack of preparedness. “It was insulting,” she told host Jesse Watters.

Newsom’s apparent phone pas serves as a symbol of what critics call his “out of touch” leadership. As one commentator put it, “He wasn’t talking to Biden. He was talking to a bad cell signal — and maybe his PR team.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)