Gavin Newsom to launch his own podcast to talk to Republicans

The podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom,” will be produced by iHeartPodcasts. The network already features the sports and culture show “Politickin,” which Newsom appears on. However, his own podcast will have an interview format that will allow Newsom to focus heavily on political issues.

In an interview with Politico on Tuesday, Newsom suggested that the podcast will emphasize dialogue with guests who hold opposing political views.

“We already know what our disagreements are with the MAGA movement. I want to understand what the motivations are, the legitimacy of those motivations, and just really understand where people are coming from,” Newsom said. “They are influential — they are. They explain more things in more ways on more days about what’s going on and if we’re not trying to understand their motivations, we will be victims of their motivations.”

Newsom has taken several steps in recent years to engage with conservative figures and challenge right-wing positions. In 2023, he participated in a televised debate with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, moderated by Fox News’ Sean Hannity. Newsom has also appeared on Fox News multiple times and has funded television ads in Republican-led states targeting their abortion policies.

The launch of Newsom’s podcast comes amid speculation about his presidential ambitions and as the Democratic Party seeks to counter the growing cultural influence of the Republican Party. The podcast space played a role in Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, prompting some Democratic officials to explore ways to increase their presence in the medium.

“At the same time, I want Democrats to come on and sort of challenge where we are on a lot of these issues,” Newsom said, according to Politico. “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 described his approach to the podcast as that of a “practitioner, not pundit,” emphasizing that he wants the discussions to have policy relevance in California.

“I’m here to stress test positions, including my own, in a more transparent manner,” he explained. “It’s not a place everyone comes for therapy. I’m not looking to just give the orthodoxy — progressive and liberal talking points. There are so many outstanding people doing that, like our gifted professionals. I add no value in that space. I’m a redundant voice … But what I think I can offer is as a practitioner — not an ideologue, not a pundit: I’m in it as much or more than most elected officials in this country, because I’m in the largest state. I’m in a state that’s deeply on the mind of the administration. I’m in a state that is profoundly critical to the fate and future as it relates to some of the most critical industries like artificial intelligence, and obviously in this remarkable moment as it relates to geopolitical re-calibration.”

Newsom credited comedian and political commentator Bill Maher and his HBO program as an inspiration for the podcast. He highlighted that Maher “takes shots at both parties” and “doesn’t have a problem in suffering fools on either side of the aisle.”

While Newsom did not reveal specific guests already confirmed for the podcast, he hinted at potential participants by saying, “Look at the lineup at CPAC.”

“It’s that crew. These are the guys right now who are enjoying their status, they’re enjoying their moment, and they’re having not just a moment here, but around the world. And we want to explore that,” he said.