Gavin Newsom cautions Jen Psaki to limit Trump’s airtime

Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) pushed back on former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki during a Sunday interview, effectively warning her to stop giving so much airtime and attention to former President Donald Trump.

Newsom’s interview took up the majority if Psaki’s MSNBC show — “Inside With Jen Psaki” — and while they spent a fair amount of that time complaining about Alabama and other states where Republicans have implemented restrictions and bans on abortions, Psaki made sure to take a few minutes to attack Trump. But when she prodded Newsom to join her in the attack, he quickly applied the brakes.

WATCH:

.@GavinNewsom: “When we’re focusing on him, I do worry, electorally, that he has a slight advantage. I’m a little concerned about the overindulgence… The consequential nature of a criminal trial is profound and outsized in some respects, but not more outsized than democracy.” pic.twitter.com/wH5z41qetA

— Inside with Jen Psaki (@InsideWithPsaki) April 21, 2024

Psaki laughed as she brought up the former president’s hush-money trial that was scheduled to start Monday morning, asking Newsom to allay her fears that the case might actually work in Trump’s favor.

“There was a criminal trial that got underway in this week in New York City, the full jury has been seated, we’re expecting opening statements on Monday,” she began. “There’s been this kind of chorus out there that’s been driving me a little crazy, to be honest, suggesting that this case only helps Trump politically. And I’m curious. You’ve seen the first week, you’re talking to an undecided voter about why this case should matter to them — what do you tell them?”

Newsom addressed the question briefly, saying that of course he believed it should matter that one party’s presidential candidate was facing criminal charges.

“That said, may I give you a personal point of view?” Newsom asked, and pointed out that the constant media coverage of everything he did — whether the coverage was positive or negative — only worked to give Trump more attention. “This is a guy who doesn’t care if he’s the hero or the heel, he just wants to be the star — and in so many ways he gets what he wants, and that’s the bright spotlight and focus.”

“And when we’re focusing on him, I do worry, electorally, that he has a slight advantage. I’m a little concerned about the overindulgence around the day to day … The consequential nature of a criminal trial is profound and outsized in some respects, but not more outsized than democracy,” Newsom said.