Gavin Newsom shocks with praise for Steve Bannon, says his policies align more with Bernie Sanders than expected

California Governor Gavin Newsom shocked everyone in his recent podcast where he likened conservative media personality Steve Bannon to liberal Senator Bernie Sanders, claiming their economic philosophies have surprising commonalities, reported The Hill. Newsom made the remarks in an interview with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on the most recent episode of his podcast, 'This is Gavin Newsom'.

Gavin Newsom Reflects on Steve Bannon’s Economic Views

During the segment, Newsom said that Bannon made him recall his grandfather when speaking about working-class Americans, as per the report. “When you talk to a guy like Steve Bannon, you know, he reminded me a little bit of my grandfather when he talks about working folks and he talks about how we hollowed out the industrial core of this country,” as quoted by The Hill.

Bannon’s Election Denialism

After that, Walz highlighted that Bannon had rejected former president Joe Biden’s election victory in 2020, according to The Hill.


Newsom responded saying, “I understand that … we can dismiss the notion of election denialism, we could completely dismiss what he did on Jan. 6, but I don’t think you can dismiss what he’s saying. Reminds me a lot of what Bernie Sanders was saying. Reminded me a lot of what Democrats said 20, 30 years ago,” as quoted by The Hill.

Bannon’s Stance on Oligarchy

In the podcast, Newsom also told Walz that, "Bannon hates [Elon] Musk, he hates the oligarchy, he totally agrees with you on the concentration of monopolistic powers," as quoted by The Hill.

Speculation on Newsom’s 2028 Presidential Ambitions

While Newsom's podcast has fueled increasing speculation that the California governor is considering a White House bid in 2028, as per the report. But his guest choices and some of his remarks have left many Democrats worried, as per The Hill. Specifically, Newsom's comments on sensitive issues such as transgender rights, along with inviting figures like Bannon onto his show, have raised concerns within his own party, according to the report.

Criticism

According to The Hill, former Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) has been especially critical. In a recent social media post, he said that he was “in shock at the stupidity of [Newsom] inviting Steve Bannon on his podcast,” reported The Hill.

Kinzinger wrote in his post that, “Many of us on the right sacrificed careers to fight Bannon, and Newsom is trying to make a career and a presidential run by building him up,” as quoted by The Hill.

FAQs

Why did Newsom mention his grandfather in relation to Bannon?
Newsom said Bannon’s way of speaking about working folks and their struggles reminded him of the conversations he had with his grandfather about similar issues.

Did Newsom defend Bannon’s denial of the 2020 election results?
While acknowledging Bannon’s election denialism and involvement in the January 6 events, Newsom argued that some of Bannon’s economic views still deserve attention.