Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum that policies coming out of California under Governor Gavin Newsom have helped create openings for foreign influence, pointing to the federal indictment of former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang and warning about broader national security risks as President Donald Trump prepares to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
On Fox News, Mullin leveled sharp criticism at Governor Gavin Newsom, arguing that state policies and what he calls political theater have made California a softer target for foreign operatives. He painted a picture of leaders prioritizing progressive priorities over public safety, and he tied that posture to real consequences when foreign adversaries look for cracks to exploit. The comments came after news that the Justice Department charged a local official with acting on behalf of the Chinese government, an allegation Mullin used to underline his point.
The woman at the center of the case, former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang, has been federally charged with acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China and has resigned her post. Prosecutors say Wang pushed pro-China messaging in the lead-up to her taking office, and she has agreed to plead guilty to the felony offense. According to the case, Wang admitted to acting “at the direction and control” of the Chinese government, and she faces up to 10 years behind bars and a potential $250,000 fine.
Mullin did not couch his language when describing what he sees as a pattern across sanctuary jurisdictions and parts of the left-leaning political establishment. “[Newsom] does the bidding for the extreme left, and he’s more interested in taking care of the criminals on the streets than taking care of the constituents on his actual streets,” he said, pointing to a leadership style he believes signals weakness. “You expect this kind of stuff to happen. It’s shameful. It should never happen, but unfortunately, in this case, it looks like it did.”
He expanded the critique beyond China, warning that adversaries like North Korea and Russia can also exploit permissive local policies. “They feel like there is an open-door invitation in these sanctuary cities, and it’s not just China. This is North Korea, this is Russia,” Mullin said, tying the local case to a wider national security concern. From his perspective, political choices made in state capitals ripple outward, changing how hostile actors calculate risks and opportunities.
Federal authorities say Wang spread pro-China narratives between 2020 and 2022, before she took the Arcadia mayor’s office, and that her actions were coordinated at the direction of foreign officials. The Justice Department’s allegations place a local official at the center of an international influence campaign, a development Mullin and other conservatives say validates long-standing warnings about foreign meddling at municipal levels. The incident is now part of a broader argument about whether state and local policies should adapt to counter such threats.
All of this unfolds as President Trump heads into a high-stakes summit with Xi Jinping, and Mullin offered a hopeful, if blunt, assessment of what could come from the meeting. “Hopefully we can prevent China from going into Taiwan in 2027, like they have repeatedly said they were going to do. Hopefully we can keep this nuclear arms build-up from getting out of control,” he said, making clear his priority is deterrence and firm diplomacy. “China hasn’t always been a great partner, but with President Trump, maybe we can get back on solid ground, and the only person that could do it would be President Trump if it’s possible.”
That view reflects the party line among many Republicans who want tougher stances on China, stronger visa screening, and more aggressive counterintelligence measures on campuses and in local governments. Mullin’s comments echo a demand for concrete steps to limit foreign influence and to tighten the oversight of those who hold public office. For critics of current state leaders, the Arcadia case proves the point: local vulnerabilities can become national headaches when adversaries are involved.
Newsom’s office has not issued a public response in the reporting tied to these remarks, and Fox News coverage continues to underscore the DOJ’s allegations and the political fallout. For now, the case against Eileen Wang stands as a federal prosecution with potential penalties and a stark warning about how foreign influence operations can reach into familiar civic spaces. The conversation now moves toward what lawmakers and officials at every level will do to prevent the next breach.
