Climate Forward Podcast Gavin Newsom on Trump, Climate and California
Sep 25, 2025
Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California and a key Democratic figure in climate policy, engages in a gripping discussion about the state’s pressing challenges. He fiercely criticizes Trump’s U.N. remarks as a denial of reality and warns about the economic fallout from federal rollbacks. Newsom highlights California's innovative responses, including coalitions and ambitious climate policies. He also addresses the dire threats of floods, fires, and agricultural impacts, sharing lessons learned from recent disasters and the urgency of reforming housing and permitting laws.
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Wake Up To Visible Climate Reality
- Gavin Newsom calls Trump's U.N. climate speech an "abomination" and warns against denying visible climate impacts.
- He frames climate harm as immediate and bipartisan, urging people to "wake up" to floods, droughts and hotter temperatures.
Regulation Drove Clean-Energy Leadership
- Newsom argues rolling back U.S. climate policy cedes leadership and manufacturing to China.
- He credits California regulation with creating innovations like Tesla and says weakening rules harms economic leadership.
Meeting Trump In Paradise After Fires
- Newsom recounts meeting Trump in Paradise, California after deadly fires and hearing advice to "rake your forests."
- He uses that memory to illustrate what he calls reckless, simplistic responses to complex climate disasters.