Amid an escalating war of words with President Trump over border security and high-speed rail, Gov. Gavin Newsom arrived in Washington this weekend seeking ways to shield California from the administration’s policies while at the same time searching for common ground on issues including disaster relief.

Newsom’s two-day visit to the nation’s capital, his first political trip outside of California since taking office, started on Sunday at a National Governors Assn. conference when he met with fellow Democrats to share strategies on expanding access to healthcare and strengthening environmental protections at a time when he says both have been under attack by the Republican president.

Given the gridlock in Washington, the California governor and his politically aligned counterparts discussed ways states can move to expand Medicaid eligibility for the uninsured and provide other essential services for those in need.

“I don’t desire …. to wake up every day and go back and forth with the administration,” Newsom said Sunday. “However, we will defend ourselves and we will defend the people when we feel we are being harmed or treated unfairly or targeted.”

Read the full story on LATimes.com.