California’s Gavin Newsom sat down with Fox News’s Sean Hannity for a wide-ranging interview on Monday night that fueled speculation about his presidential aspirations – even as Newsom again said he had no plans to run for the presidency in 2024.
The Democratic governor’s decision to appear on Hannity confounded many of his supporters, but Newsom, who routinely spars with Republicans on social media, took the opportunity to defend his state’s record and its policies, with a senior adviser telling Politico that he viewed the interview as “going into the lion’s den”.
The interview opened with Newsom and Hannity arguing over immigration, Joe Biden and the economy. The Fox News host repeatedly insisted the president is not up to the job and described Newsom, long viewed as a presidential hopeful, as articulate and more energetic.
“I’m rooting for our president, and I have great confidence in his leadership,” Newsom said before again defending Biden’s record. “I know he’s capable. I see results … real results.”
The California governor said he would not enter the Democratic primary and would continue to support Biden.
Hannity, who has run several recent segments painting Newsom as a radical liberal who wants to “bring California’s failures to the rest of the country”, also questioned Newsom about population decline in the state, and California’s homelessness crisis.
“The state has not made progress in the two decades as it relates to homelessness,” Newsom said. “Housing costs are too high. Our regulatory thickets are too problematic.”
“The difference between me and other politicians is: I own this. I take responsibility for this. I love this state,” Newsom said, describing his administration’s efforts to reduce homelessness by putting more money toward tackling the issue and suing cities that have blocked efforts to expand housing.
Hannity said the back and forth were the product of a “friendly discussion” and praised Newsom for taking part in the interview.
“I appreciate your passion for your state. I appreciate the fact that you fight for the things you believe in,” he said. “It’s just I don’t agree with your views.”
Newsom has been touring red states and running billboard ads promoting abortion rights in Texas, Mississippi and other Republican-led states. Hannity, a longtime ally of Donald Trump who recently moderated a deferential town hall with the former president, contacted Newsom, according to Politico.
Newsom and Hannity have reportedly known each other for years, though the governor has not appeared on Fox since 2010. Although the Democratic governor often criticises the conservative network for its flagrant promotion of election conspiracy theories and fearmongering about crime in liberal states like California, he has also shown a zeal for sparring with rightwing figures.
Last week, he doubled down on his feud with the Florida governor and 2024 Republican candidate Ron DeSantis by threatening criminal charges after flights chartered by the state sent Latin American migrants to California. Newsom addressed the incident in his interview with Hannity, telling him that Florida officials lied to the people seeking asylum who were transported to California and told them there would be jobs waiting for them.
“I talked to every single one of them. They were lied to. They were misled,” he said. “What kind of faith tradition allows this?”
The governor also said he would gladly debate DeSantis, who he said would lose in 2024. “Trump is going to clean his clock,” Newsom said.
Newsom has insisted he has “sub-zero” interest in running for president while placing himself at the forefront of political conversations in recent months.
He touted a quixotic plan to push for a constitutional amendment regulating guns, placing age limits, background check requirements and other restrictions on gun ownerships.
With the country bitterly divided over gun rights, such an amendment is highly unlikely to ever pass – two-thirds of the House and Senate, or two-thirds of all states would have to agree to a constitutional convention to make it happen. Newsom is proposing the latter route, which has never happened before. Legal experts also warn it would set a dangerous norm.
He announced the gun rights plan on NBC’s Today Show, saying that the proposal was crafted in response to the federal court rolling back several gun safety laws.
It is conspicuous, the Sacramento Bee’s editorial board wrote in response to Fox promoting an interview with the governor, that the governor has not made time for interviews with local outlets. “Good luck on Hannity, Governor Newsom,” they wrote. “We’ll be watching, and we’ll also be watching for you to be a little more present in California media, since you’re not running for president.”
The second part of the interview, in which Newsom and Hannity will discuss, among other issues, the Chinese spy balloon, will air later this week, Hannity said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
