California Gov. Gavin Newsom, one of the leading Democratic contenders for the 2028 presidential election, sat down with Jen Psaki for an interview that aired on Wednesday’s “The Briefing” to discuss President Donald Trump’s possible successors, one of whom he argued may be even more dangerous than the president.
Psaki asked Newsom about two particular Republican presidential hopefuls, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, who she said have been “waiting in the wings” to “carry on the MAGA flame” in 2028.
Newsom recalled that Vance and Rubio were once “two of the most effective critics” of Trump before joining his administration, but he said they are now “frauds” and “phonies.”
But the California Democrat said that Vance was a “unique fraud and phony” and argued that he was “a little more dangerous” than other members of Trump’s inner circle.
Newsom told Psaki that the words “Trump is being Trump” are “the most damning words in the English language right now.”
Newsom pointed to the vice president’s tech industry allies, such as those in Silicon Valley, many of whom helped launch his political career. “Listen to some of his biggest funders, the way they talk — there’s a nihilism to the way they talk about the world,” he said. “I know these guys.”
Newsom also told Psaki: “Vance, for whatever reason, scares me almost more than Trump. … Talk about a guy who put a mask on and his face grew into it.”
The California governor, however, stressed that one strong possibility should not be shut out of conversations about 2028: a possible third Trump term.
Newsom told Psaki he “wouldn’t put it past” the president to run again, especially if Democrats can’t take back the House. “He may be on that ballot,” Newsom said.
Trump has repeatedly teased running for a third term, despite the constitutional limit of two. His allies have tried to downplay the possibility. “What he does, he tests all this. He throws his stuff out, sees how far, sees how you’re going to react,” Newsom explained. “If you don’t react, all of a sudden it’s socialized. Now it’s normalized.” The governor told Psaki that the words “Trump’s being Trump” are perhaps “the most damning words in the English language right now.” “It’s not Trump being Trump,” he said. “You’ve got to call it out. None of this is normal. It’s unconscionable.” You can watch Psaki’s full interview with Newsom in the clip at the top of the page.
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW. She was previously a segment producer for “AYMAN” and “The Mehdi Hasan Show.”
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