Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom launched his new podcast “This Is Gavin Newsom” and is ruffling the feathers of politicians on both sides of aisles by having far-right conservatives as guests on his show — including fervent Trump ally and Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk.
Newsom disappointed many Democratic LGBTQ advocates when he revealed — with Kirk on the show — that he is against allowing trans women compete in women’s sports, calling it “deeply unfair.”
This is not “learning about other people” this is platforming authoritarianism. wtf does @GavinNewsom think he’s accomplishing besides torching his prospects for the future?
— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@AdamKinzinger) March 12, 2025
Have real conservatives of which Bannon and Charlie Kirk ain’t pic.twitter.com/axbgwNm3lK
Yet some anti-Trump social media influencers, including Brian Krassenstein, appreciated parts of the conversation between Newsom and Kirk. Krassenstein wrote of their exchange on book bans: “It’s an interesting conversation, and although I think Kirk overly generalizes I appreciate that he was willing to sit down with Newsom and talk about this.”
BREAKING: Clips of Gavin Newsom Debating Charlie Kirk about Book bans have just been released.
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) March 6, 2025
It's an interesting conversation, and although I think Kirk overly generalizes I appreciate that he was willing to sit down with Newsom and talk about this.
They have banned works… pic.twitter.com/GRv4gGfUTZ
On Wednesday, Newsom — who is said to have presidential aspirations — announced that his next guest is Trump’s former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, a choice that drew backlash despite what keen political observers have recognized as a need for Democrats to engage with effective messengers of the far-right agenda.
Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) slammed Newsom and replied to the announcement: “This is not ‘learning about other people’ this is platforming authoritarianism. wtf does @GavinNewsom think he’s accomplishing besides torching his prospects for the future? Have real conservatives of which Bannon and Charlie Kirk ain’t.”
Note: As a member of the House Select Committee on the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Kinzinger advanced the resolution to hold Bannon in contempt after Bannon resisted a subpoena from Congress and refused to testify. (Bannon was convicted in 2022 on two counts of contempt of Congress and eventually served four months in prison.)
