California Governor Gavin Newsom is looking to capitalize on the same movement that helped make President Donald Trump more popular with young people and starting a podcast where he will sit down with politicians from both sides of the aisle to discuss the state of the U.S.
Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential candidate, appears to be attempting to infiltrate the podcast space with the start of his audio show called, This is Gavin Newsom, which is set to be produced by iHeartPodcasts.
The California governor said in his announcement he will invite people he disagrees with, which may include Trump-aligned individuals, as well as Democrats to talk – or spar – extensively about politics.
“We already know what our disagreements are with the MAGA movement,” Newsom told Politico. “I want to understand what the motivations are, the legitimacy of those motivations, and just really understand where people are coming from.”
Though the California governor declined to say who he would invite on, he cited CPAC’s lineup as an example of the people he could speak with.
But simultaneously, Newsom says he wants Democrats to come on the podcast to “challenge” what the party is doing and where they stand on the issues – especially now, at a time when the party appears to have sunk into the background.
“And so I’m asking the same questions you’re asking of me: Where the hell is the Democratic Party? What are we doing? Who are we? Where are we going? What’s the path back? I’m having the exact same conversations, and I just thought it’d be a hell of a lot more interesting to do it publicly and to do it as honestly as I can,” Newsom told Politico.
I'm launching a NEW PODCAST. We need to change the conversation.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) February 26, 2025
I'm talking directly with people I disagree with, people I look up to, and you -- the listeners.
Egg prices? Tariffs? DOGE? We're tackling all your big questions.
This is Gavin Newsom. Subscribe now ➡️… pic.twitter.com/WdzGeqdvZ4
Democrats have struggled to break into the podcast and alternative media space – which has been dominated by conservatives as seen in the last presidential cycle.
Trump’s appearances on popular right-wing podcasts such as the Joe Rogan Experience, Impaulsive, Full Send Podcast, as well as appearing on streams helped him grow his appeal with Gen-Z voters.
But the foundation had already been laid thanks to many alt-right and right-wing personalities who found audiences in alternative media spaces after feeling rejected by traditional media.
Newsom and other Democrats wishing to break into that space may be facing an uphill battle as they seek to shake-up a well-established conservative field. The governor said on X his “goal” is to “change the conversation.”
Newsom already co-hosts the sports-politics podcast “Politickin” alongside former NFL player Marshawn Lynch and agent Doug Hendrickson. It is also produced by iHeart.
