California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday the launch of his new “This is Gavin Newsom” podcast, which the Democratic leader said will feature conversations with “some of the biggest leaders and architects in the MAGA movement.”
The podcast marks the latest in a series of publicity moves from a governor who is seeking to expand his audience nationally and is widely expected to enter the 2028 presidential contest. Newsom launched a separate podcast last summer and will release a new book in the spring.
Newsom’s aides say the unpaid podcast gives the governor an opportunity to connect directly with Americans and share his perspective on the issues of the day.
“Part of his strength as a communicator is to help show folks a way forward, a way to articulate a message, and a way to fight back,” said Anthony York, a spokesperson for Newsom. “And I think that this podcast is conceived in that vein.”
The new project with iHeartRadio is expected to begin airing in March. In July, Newsom started a weekly sports and culture podcast, called “Politickin’,” with former NFL star running back Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch and sports agent Doug Hendrickson.
Newsom will likely participate more sporadically in “Politickin,” which includes interviews with celebrities such as comedian Chelsea Handler and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, once his new podcast takes off, York said. The show has aired less often since the wildfires ignited in early January in Los Angeles County and commanded Newsom’s attention.
In a teaser promoting “This is Gavin Newsom,” the governor said it won’t be an ordinary politician’s podcast and he’ll be speaking to “people directly that I disagree with, as well as people I look up to.”
Newsom mentioned the cost of eggs, tariffs, the power of executive orders and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency as topics he plans to explore.
The new podcast could suggest Newsom is growing tired of the more muted stance he’s taken toward the Trump administration since the wildfires broke out in Los Angeles.
The governor drew national attention in the 2024 presidential election cycle as a Democratic fighter against the GOP. He took jabs at Trump, sat down for an interview with conservative host Sean Hannity and debated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Fox News, garnering praise for his refusal to back away from a scuffle with Republicans.
But Newsom shifted after the wildfires and has played the role of a disciplined statesman eager to work alongside, instead of clash with, the Trump administration.
In a tarmac greeting at LAX, private phone calls and an in-person meeting at the White House, Newsom has sought to mend his ties with the president that appeared to fray after Trump’s first term. The governor has been able to work directly with the president as he seeks federal disaster aid in response to the fires to benefit his constituents in California.
It’s unclear how he plans to maintain his relationship with Trump if his podcast becomes an avenue for him to criticize the president’s actions in Washington again.
“I don’t think the point of this is to have a venting session for ad hominem attacks against the president,” York said. “But that being said, if there’s stuff going on in Washington that needs to be called out, policy wise, then this is a forum for that.”
