Newsom just did something completely out of left field. His supporters are stunned.
And Gavin Newsom praised this top Trump ally in a shocking move no one was expecting.
In a surprising twist, California’s progressive Governor Gavin Newsom took a nuanced stance on the MAGA movement during a recent episode of his podcast, “This Is Gavin Newsom.” On Tuesday, the Golden State leader sat down with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a former Democratic vice presidential hopeful, and the two dove into a lively discussion about the motivations driving the conservative wave.
Newsom pushed back against simply labeling MAGA as “racism and misogyny,” instead shining a spotlight on an unexpected figure: Steve Bannon, the right-wing heavyweight.
Walz kicked off the conversation with a blunt question: “How do we put some of those guys back under a rock?” The Minnesota governor, brimming with confidence, even bragged, “I could kick most of their a**.”
But Newsom wasn’t ready to dismiss the movement so easily. He urged a deeper look, saying it’s critical “to first understand what their motivations are” and to unpack “what they’re actually doing.”
When Walz pressed him, asking, “You don’t think it’s racism and misogyny?” Newsom offered a fresh take. He argued that while those elements exist, the MAGA crowd also taps into real working-class frustrations—a chord Bannon strikes with gusto.
“I think there’s a lot of that, but I don’t think it’s exclusively that,” Newsom said, responding to Walz’s pointed “racism and misogyny” jab. “When you talk to a guy like Steve Bannon, he talks about working folks, and he talks about how we hollowed out the industrial core of this country.”
Bannon, who appeared on Newsom’s podcast the previous week, had called for “dramatic action” to fix a system he claims has failed the working and middle classes. Newsom seemed to be in agreement, suggesting Bannon’s rhetoric echoes what Democrats, including Bernie Sanders, championed decades ago.
Walz wasn’t sold. He countered that Bannon “denies the [2020] election,” a topic Newsom had sidestepped in his earlier chat with the MAGA icon. Still, Newsom held his ground. “We can dismiss the notion of election denialism,” he said. “We could completely dismiss what he did on Jan. 6, [2021, during the Capitol riot]. But I don’t think you can dismiss what he’s saying.”
Gavin Newsom and Tim Walz talk about Steve Bannon on the latest episode of Newsom’s new podcast.
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) March 19, 2025
Newsom says that what Bannon says reminds him a lot of what Democrats used to say 20-30 years ago. pic.twitter.com/JcYITXrTjq
It’s a perspective that’s raised eyebrows, especially since Newsom’s first three big podcast guests—Bannon, Charlie Kirk, and Michael Savage—all hail from the MAGA camp.
The Bannon episode, in particular, sparked a backlash from progressive corners. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a fellow Democrat, was among those who criticized Newsom for giving the conservative firebrand a platform.
But Newsom, who’s term-limited and rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential bid, has pitched his podcast as a space to bridge divides, blending progressive ideals with conservative voices.
The chat with Walz also revealed a subtle divide between the two. When Walz doubled down on his disdain for MAGA, Newsom gently nudged him, hinting that such bravado—“I could kick most of their a**”—might be pushing away a key demographic.
“It’s a natural reaction,” Newsom stated. “I think it’s one of the reasons we’re losing so many men. And again, it’s multi-ethnic. It’s not just white men. We’re losing them. We’re losing them to these guys online.”
Interestingly, Walz softened his MAGA-bashing during the 2024 campaign, a shift from the fiery tone he struck on Newsom’s podcast. His former running mate, Kamala Harris, also treaded carefully.
During an October interview with Fox News’ Brett Baier, Harris dodged a question about whether she thought Trump supporters were “stupid.” “Oh, God, I would never say that about the American people,” she replied, clearly mindful of avoiding a Hillary Clinton-esque “basket of deplorables” blunder.
Now, with whispers of a potential 2026 run for Newsom’s seat, Harris may find herself navigating the same tricky political terrain her podcast host is exploring.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
