California Governor Gavin Newsom defended his shift toward more confrontational political tactics, telling talk show host Bill Maher that his use of Trump-like rhetoric is a deliberate attempt to expose the “absurdity” of the modern political landscape. During an appearance on Friday’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher , the governor addressed questions regarding his recent communication style, which has included combative social media posts and high-profile litigation. “Among all the people who may or may not be running, you are the one who kind of imitates his style with the trolling — you’re suing Fox now, I understand,” Maher said to Newsom. “That sounds exactly like what he does.” Newsom rejected the comparison, characterizing his actions as a strategic reflection of his opponents. “I’m trying to put a mirror up to Donald Trump,” Newsom said.…