California Governor Gavin Newsom defended his shift toward more confrontational political tactics, telling talk show host Bill Maher that his use of Trump-like rhetoric is a deliberate attempt to expose the “absurdity” of the modern political landscape.
During an appearance on Friday’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, the governor addressed questions regarding his recent communication style, which has included combative social media posts and high-profile litigation.
“Among all the people who may or may not be running, you are the one who kind of imitates his style with the trolling — you’re suing Fox now, I understand,” Maher said to Newsom. “That sounds exactly like what he does.”
Newsom rejected the comparison, characterizing his actions as a strategic reflection of his opponents.
“I’m trying to put a mirror up to Donald Trump,” Newsom said. “We’re just trying to reflect that reality and express the absurdity of all of this.”
The discussion follows a ruling by a Delaware judge this week that Newsom’s $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News may proceed to the discovery phase. The lawsuit alleges the network knowingly distorted Newsom’s account of a phone call with Donald Trump during the June 2025 Los Angeles protests.
In his ruling, the judge found it was “reasonably conceivable” that the network acted with actual malice, rejecting an attempt to dismiss the case on First Amendment grounds. The decision opens the door for Newsom’s legal team to access internal communications, including emails and editorial discussions, from the network.
“Looking forward to discovery,” Newsom wrote on X following the decision.
Maher remained skeptical of the governor’s methods, noting the irony of a high-profile Democrat using litigation against media outlets — a practice frequently associated with the Trump presidency.
“That sounds exactly like what he does, suing media,” Maher said.
“We’re going into discovery,” Newsom replied. “Fox better look to settle right now or apologize for defamation,” Newsom replied.
Maher countered: “Okay, again, but that does sound like him.”
The exchange has prompted debate among political observers. While recent polling shows Newsom at the top of the 2028 Democratic field, some viewers questioned the efficacy of the governor’s persona.
“Newsom has the policy and swagger to make a deep run for the presidency,” one observer noted in an online forum following the interview. “I challenge his opponents to do more. Trump will be replaced, let’s make it a race to the top.”
Others were more critical of the governor and the host.
One viewer suggested Maher has become “intellectually lazy” and “only knows the top level talking points” on complex issues. Another dismissed the governor’s online strategy, stating, “Tweeting mean things about Trump isn’t enough to be considered a candidate.”
