Top 5 Moments from Gavin Newsom’s podcast with Ben Shapiro

WASHINGTON (TNND) — California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday hosted conservative commentator Ben Shapiro on his podcast.

Newsom has hosted other conservatives on his podcast, including former Trump strategist Steve Bannon and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

Here are the top five moments from the interview.

Newsom backtracked on statements on ICE agents made by his team

During the podcast episode, Shapiro and Newsom debated immigration as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been in the headlines lately.

“Your press office tweeted out that it was state-sponsored terrorism,” Shapiro said, referencing Renee Good who was killed by an ICE agent earlier this month.

He later added that ICE officers are not terrorists.

“Yeah, I think that’s fair,” Newsom responded, later saying he didn’t believe ICE should be abolished.

Shapiro said he doesn’t believe Republicans will do well in the midterms

“Republicans have no chance in this midterm, right?” Newsom asked Shapiro during the interview.

“I think they are in for a world of hurt right now in the midterms,” he answered.

He added that while the GOP has the majority in the House and Senate, it is very slim.

“There are not a lot of swing districts that are left because of all the redistricting,” Shapiro said. “But the swing districts that are left seem to be trending more blue.”

Newsom said he believes that President Donald Trump will try to “wire” the outcome of the 2028 election

During the interview, Newsom said he didn’t believe there would be a legit election in 2028.

“But then why are you running?” Shapiro said. “Or why would you consider running?”

He answered by saying he wants to believe the U.S. has agency and can change the future.

Shapiro asked Newsom if he believed Trump would run in 2028.

“No,” Newsom answered. “I believe that he’ll try to wire the outcome in 2028.”

Newsom said Hamas is a terrorist group and Democrats should denounce them.

During the interview, Newsom criticized Trump for having dinner with white nationalist and antisemite Nick Fuentes at one point.

Shapiro said that he didn’t support that action from Trump and that the president recently did an interview with The New York Times where he said the GOP wants nothing to do with Nick Fuentes.

“I wish the Democratic Party were as critical of sitting Congress members who flirt with this sort of stuff, but overtly traffic this sort of stuff,” Shapiro said.

He then asked Newsom about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, saying that when he was on the campaign, he refused to announce Hamas, the terrorist group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

“They are a terrorist group, and they should have been denounced,” Newsom said.

Newsom and Shapiro discuss the housing crisis in California

Shapiro, who used to live in California before leaving the state, said the cost of living was incredibly high.

“The housing costs are too high,” Shapiro said. “The cost of living is too high. I believe the poverty rates in California on a cost-adjusted basis are some of the highest in the nation.

Newsom interjected and said they were at the same level as Florida.

Both came to an agreement that the relationship between the government and the people needed to change because many Americans are hopeless.

“The problem is that unless we are willing to recognize a fundamental reality, which is that the relationship of the American government needs to change,” Shapiro said.

“I agree with that,” Newsom said.