California Governor Gavin Newsom is not doing anything to dispel rumors that he’s planning to launch a 2028 presidential run after his appearance at a Politico event, where he said he doesn’t believe President Donald Trump intends to allow that presidential election to take place. “People actually think this guy’s serious about having another election,” Newsom said, his voice taking on a twinge of anxious urgency.

“I’m sick and tired of Democrats being on the losing end in this country and our democracy being on the losing end. We have got to fight fire with fire,” Newsom said on the podcast. He said this without irony despite the fact that Democrats were just in the White House through the beginning of this year and have set many unpopular policy decisions that the current administration is attempting to undo.

“I don’t think Donald Trump wants another election,” he went on. “You think for a second—I have two dozen Trump 2028 hats his folks keep sending me.” The host asked, “And you and you think he’s gonna run again?” to which Newsom responded, “who spends $200 million on a ballroom at their home and then leaves the house? This is serious, guys, this is serious,” he emphasized. President Donald Trump has made efforts to beautify the White House, from the Rose Garden patio to new flagpoles to a ballroom for state events.

“This guy doesn’t believe in free, fair elections,” Newsom said when asked if the 2028 ballot would show Newsom and Trump in a head-to-head contest. “He could— he tried to wreck this country. Were you there? January 6?” He took a swipe at Fox News before saying Trump “tried to light democracy on fire. He dialed for 11, almost 12,000 votes. Now he’s doing it in plain sight. And people say, ‘Oh, just Trump being Trump.’

“People actually think this guy’s serious about having another election? You think he’s joking about 2028? You think when he brings foreign leaders to the Oval Office and he goes to the White House store, have you seen this?” Newsom asked, aghast.

The White House gift shop sells Trump 2028 hats, which Trump jokes “drives them crazy.”

“Anyone? Is it just me?” Newsom went on. “And he shows them the 2028 hats? He’s not being serious? Wake up, you will lose your country. Again, it’s not about Democrats, it’s about all of us,” he said.

Trump and Newsom have clashed over so-called “sanctuary” laws in the state of California that prevent local law enforcement from working with federal immigration enforcement officers. To force the issue and protect immigration officers, Trump sent the National Guard into Los Angeles. Newsom didn’t like his toes being stepped on and said so repeatedly.

“I’m absolutely convinced,” he said when asked, “you’ve seen it. He’s tried to steal the last election. He’s trying to rig it in plain sight this time. He wants to get rid of vote by mail. He’s talking about eliminating voting machines he doesn’t like.” Trump won the 2024 election, including the popular vote.

Newsom, however, is going against the will of the majority of California’s voters in attempting to bypass the independent, state constitution-mandated congressional redistricting commission. His goal is to change the congressional district maps to eliminate Republican-majority seats and ensure that Democrats have even more congressional seats from California going into the 2026 midterm elections.

“He’s setting up the contours where he can declare a declaration of emergency for anything, just cause means whatever he just said on Truth Social. He’s running the greatest grift operation in world history,” Newsom went on.

“I mean, it makes some of these dictators overseas blush, the crypto, not just the perfume,” Newsom said. “I mean, come on. Wake up. Everybody. Wake up. And I know we have to be more calm and demure, but I’m not calm, and I’m not going to submit myself to niceties, not when this guy is trying to wreck our goddamn country.”