Once again showing that he is a man completely devoid of principles, 2028 Democrat frontrunner Gavin Newsom is betting that the joint U.S.-Israel military operation in Iran will present him with a political opportunity.
With it already starting to look like “Operation Epic Fury” could galvanize his party’s rabidly anti-Semitic base as Israel’s war on the Hamas terror organization did, the outgoing California governor suggested that the Jewish nation is an “apartheid state,” referring to the controversial former political system in South Africa.
Newsom invoked the favorite smear of the Israel-hating left during a Tuesday event in Los Angeles, where he was hustling his new book “Young Man in a Hurry,” also suggesting that it could be time for the U.S. to “rethink” the relationship with the longtime Middle East ally.
NEW
Tonight, at a book event in Los Angeles, Governor Gavin Newsom said that the United States is being pushed by Israel into a position where it may have to reconsider military support.
Newsom said that those who say Israel is an apartheid state are doing so “appropriately.”… pic.twitter.com/6UUBEH7hYD
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) March 4, 2026
During the discussion, which was hosted by the progressive podcast “Pod Save America” and featuring Favreau and Tommy Vietor, the Democratic White House hopeful was asked about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and whether the regime change effort in Iran should raise concerns about the continuing special relationship with Israel.
“A lot of Democrats have looked at the Netanyahu regime and felt like, ‘You know what? We don’t like the trajectory he’s on. It’s time to rethink the U.S. relationship with Israel, especially military support.’ Where do you stand?” Vietor asked.
“Let’s talk about that. But the issue of Bibi is interesting because he’s got his own domestic issues. He’s trying to stay out of jail. He’s got an election coming up. He’s potentially on the ropes. He’s got folks, the hard line, that [want to] annex the West Bank. I mean, [New York Times columnist Tom] Friedman and others are talking about it appropriately — sort of an apartheid state,” the governor replied.
“It breaks my heart because the current leadership in Israel is walking us down that path, where I don’t think you have a choice but that consideration,” Newsom added in response to Vietor’s question about “rethinking” military support.
“I mean, to say this is in America’s interest, at a time when affordability is at crisis levels, where you had an administration who literally got elected saying this is exactly the opposite of what they would ever consider doing, the fact that we are in this now regional war, all these proxies, the fact that we — and you know, all the grift and the corruption that also marks a huge part of this,” the governor said.
“And that’s a real conversation we need to have, this Board of Peace, and the piece that the Witkoff family’s getting, and the piece that Kushner is getting, and the piece that Trump Jr. is getting,” Newsom added, shifting into a standard attack on the Trump administration.
Newsom’s remarks drew fire nearly as intense as what’s currently being unleashed on Tehran.
“Gavin Newsom bets antisemitism is the Democratic Party’s future,” wrote the New York Post Editorial Board, and X users also slammed the shameless opportunist’s remarks.
Classic opportunist. Geopolitical IQ of a jellyfish, strategic vision of a blind snake.
— Anama 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@AnamaMOSS) March 4, 2026
He’s following the polls in the Dem primary like a good little politician. He should wear his green bandanna too.
— Noah Friedland (@NoahFriedland) March 5, 2026
He is a Jew hater extraordinaire
— Renee Giraldy (@ReneeGiraldy) March 5, 2026
Gavin is the smarmiest politician and he knows what the current Democratic base wants to hear. Hopefully at least American Jews will understand that just because they had been good allies for years, they don’t have to turn the other cheek, and start voting Republican. At least…
— U D (@udekel) March 4, 2026
When Biden was in office, things were (D)ifferent. https://t.co/BFtSiBlX6v
— Mark Fabela (@markdfabela) March 4, 2026
It’s hard to respect a leader who takes talking points from the polls of the day. This will not help him win the presidency and he’s should fire whoever advised him to go down this disastrous path.
— Rabbi Steven Burg (@stevenburg) March 5, 2026
Seeking to quell the backlash, Newsom’s top spokesperson flew into damage control with Izzy Gardon saying that his boss “believes in Israel’s right to exist — and its right to defend itself. Period,” according to the New York Times.
Gardon added “the governor is calling out a difficult truth,” in blaming Trump and Netanyahu for “taking Israel down a course that threatens the safety of Israel — a democracy and America’s closest Middle East ally — as well as Israelis and American Jews.”
“Newsom, the frontrunner for his party’s next presidential nomination, has now embraced the far left’s anti-Israel extremism — which should disqualify him for the presidency or even the job he holds now,” the New York Post Editorial Board said. “Whether he’s a bigot or just a shameless cynic, from here on out, he merits nothing but contempt if he dares say a word about peace, human rights, or tolerance.”
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