Newsom Shares Surreal Trump Phone Conversation on Kimmel Show
California Governor Gavin Newsom appeared on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night television program this Tuesday, where he recounted having "many interesting" telephone conversations with former President Donald Trump. The potential Democratic presidential candidate for 2028 was ostensibly promoting his new memoir titled "Young Man In A Hurry," but the discussion quickly turned to his interactions with the former president.
A Nighttime Call Before National Guard Mobilization
Newsom specifically recalled one particular call that occurred the night before Trump mobilized the National Guard to Los Angeles. Trump later claimed he had read the governor "the riot act" during that exchange. However, Newsom provided a dramatically different account of the conversation's actual content and tone.
"Here's how it went," Newsom explained to Kimmel. "It was about 10:30 my time, 1:30 his time. And he goes, 'Hey, Gavin. Gavin, what do you think of Newscum? What do you think of Newscum?' It's his nickname for me. I said, 'What are you talking...?' He goes, 'It's pretty original, right?' I said, 'Actually, it's not. There was like an eighth grade bully that did that when I was a kid.'"
From Nicknames to MAGA Merchandise
The governor continued describing the bizarre exchange: "And then he goes, 'Well, MAGA is pretty good.' I'm like, 'Are we serious?' I literally said, 'Are we having...' He goes, 'Well, how many hats you think I sold last month?' I said, 'I don't know.' He said like 211. I said, 'That's impressive.' So, it was literally conversation like that."
Newsom emphasized the surreal nature of the discussion, telling Kimmel: "These are the conversations with Trump. You can't make this stuff up. And about 12 hours later, he said he had read me the riot act and then moved forward with the federalization of the guard."
Reflecting on Trump's Telephone Manner
The California governor later reflected on Trump's distinctive communication style, remarking simply: "It's a hell of a thing." Newsom's appearance on the popular late-night show provided a rare glimpse into the personal dynamics between the Democratic governor and the former Republican president, highlighting the contrast between Trump's public claims about their interactions and Newsom's firsthand account.
The interview offered viewers insight into how political figures navigate unusual professional relationships while maintaining their public personas. Newsom's detailed recollection of the phone call underscores the sometimes surreal nature of high-level political communications, particularly when dealing with a figure as unconventional as Donald Trump.
