By New York Post (Politics) | Created at 2025-03-06 20:26:12 | Updated at 2025-03-06 23:18:43
3 hours ago
Liberal California Gov. Gavin Newsom split with Democrats and acknowledged that “it’s deeply unfair” to allow transgender athletes to compete against biological women while chatting with a MAGA darling on his podcast debut episode
Newsom, 57, who is speculated to be eyeing a 2028 president run, stopped short of calling for an outright ban on transgender competition in girls’ sports, however, and lamented how conservatives “weaponize” that issue.
“I think it’s an issue of fairness; I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness — it’s deeply unfair,” the governor admitted to campus culture warrior Charlie Kirk on his “This is Gavin Newsom” podcast.
“I am not wrestling with the fairness issue,” he said. “I totally agree with you.”
Newsom, who is term-limited and can’t run for governor in 2026, has been a staunch advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Last year, he signed a law banning schools from notifying parents about their children’s gender identity. The governor has also slammed red states for their policies on transgenderism.
“Trans kids and their families should be celebrated – not targeted by the state! They are heroes,” he said in 2022 in response to a Texas directive to report parents whose children transition. “California’s door is always open to you.”
“This law helps keep children safe while protecting the critical role of parents,” a spokesperson for Newsom said at the time.
In 2020, he signed a law requiring incarcerated transgender and nonbinary prisoners to be housed based on their gender identity.
Two decades ago, when serving as mayor of San Francisco, Newsom directed the city to dole out marriage licenses to same-sex couples in defiance of state law. Eventually, the California Supreme Court shut him down.
Kirk, 31, had pressed Newsom about whether he would be willing to declare there shouldn’t be men in women’s sports, citing AB Hernandez, a transgender high schooler who has dominated women’s long and triple jump competitions.
“There’s also humility and grace,” Newsom added. “That these poor people are more likely to commit suicide, have anxiety and depression, and the way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with as well.”
“So both things I can hold in my hand. How can we address this issue with the kind of decency that I think you know is inherent in you but not always expressed on the issue?”
In the past, Newsom has decried critics of transgender athletes in girls’ sports for not showing more “sensitivity” on the issue and underscored that there is only a small number of trans athletes in women’s sports.
“I revere sports, so the issue of fairness is completely legit,” Newsom continued. “And I saw that the last couple years, boy did I [see] how you guys were able to weaponize that issue at another level.”
Kirk pushed back at the governor’s assertion that conservatives “weaponize” transgenderism. Newsom pointed to the Trump campaign’s ad, first reported by The Post, that declared, “Kamala’s for they/them; President Trump is for you.”
“She didn’t even react to it, which was even more devastating,” Newsom gasped, noting the large swath of the public opposed to her position. “Then you had the video [of Harris] as a validator. Brutal.”
“It was a great ad,” he acknowledged.
Over recent months, Newsom has taken steps to moderate his image, vetoing a number of progressive bills that came to his desk through the Democratic-led state legislature. Last month, for instance, he vowed to veto a bill that would bar state prisons from cooperating with the feds on illegal immigrants.
During the 2024 cycle, he emerged as a staunch defender of former President Joe Biden, seeking to disabuse speculation that he could challenge him for the Democratic nomination. He’s been coy about his 2028 aspirations.
Newsom, who was once married to Kimberly Guilfoyle, the ex-fiance of Donald Trump Jr., admitted that his 13-year-old son listens to Kirk and was excited to hear that his father was interviewing him for the podcast.
During the interview, Newsom seemingly marveled at the effectiveness of Republicans on the campaign trail, telling Kirk that “you are making a damn dent.”
“What do you do? Seriously, Charlie Kirk, give us some advice,” Newsom quipped at one point.
Kirk argued that Democrats need to “get better ideas.”
“You guys kicked out like your best people,” Kirk said at a different point. “We’re the ones that have Democrats in our cabinet, winning the electoral majority vote… look at that ideological diversity.”
“You could say diversity is our strength.”
Taking note of Democratic strategist James Carville’s suggestion that the party “play possum” and let Trump crash, Newsom indicated that his party needs to do the opposite.
“We are losing,” Newsom said. “The asymmetry of DOnald Trump or Elon Musk sending out tweets or you doing social media and me doing a 3-minute hit at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.”
“How the hell do we compete? We’re toast.”
