California Governor Gavin Newsom is facing backlash for an apparent abrupt shift on LGBTQ+ issues and his controversial decision to invite far-right figure Steve Bannon onto his podcast.
Newsom, who has served as governor since 2019, recently made a surprising pivot to the right after a discussion with Turning Point USA co-founder and conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
During their conversation, Newsom reversed his stance on transgender participation in sports, now calling it an issue of “fairness.”
“I completely agree with you on that,” he said in the early March podcast appearance. “It is an issue of fairness – it’s deeply unfair.”
His remarks have sparked backlash, which intensified further after he hosted Steve Bannon, a key figure in Donald Trump’s administration and a prominent far-right voice, on his podcast.
Backlash Over Bannon Interview
Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, is a controversial figure with strong influence over the populist right. He previously served jail time for defying a congressional subpoena related to the January 6 Capitol riot and narrowly avoided additional jail time in February over fraud charges tied to private funding for Trump’s border wall.
Tompkins, best known for Mr. Show, Comedy Bang! Bang!, and BoJack Horseman, expressed his outrage in a Bluesky post on Wednesday (12 March), declaring that Newsom is unfit for any political office “except governor of the bottom of the sea.”
Questioning the governor’s motivations, Tompkins wrote:
“What does anybody need to hear from Steve Bannon? I feel like we got this guy’s thing sorted out crystal clear, no further questions, your honour.”
He also condemned Newsom’s shift on trans rights, writing:
“Why not interview a trans person about your anti-trans bulls**t?”
Political Figures Weigh In
Newsom’s actions have also drawn criticism from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who denounced the decision to give Bannon a platform.
“I support bringing on different voices,” Beshear said. “But Steven Bannon espouses hatred and anger, and even at some points violence, and I don’t think we should give him oxygen on any platform, ever, anywhere.”
With growing criticism from both political figures and public personalities, Newsom’s recent moves continue to fuel controversy over his shifting stance and alliances.
