According to HuffPost, Tucker Carlson has developed a newfound admiration for California Governor Gavin Newsom. The evidence for this dramatic development is that Carlson recently described Newsom as “very charming” and “fun to talk to” during a conversation with commentator Jimmy Dore.
Naturally, this was treated as a noteworthy political event.
The article’s headline announces that Carlson is fawning over a “top Trump hater” amid his ongoing feud with President Trump. The piece then describes Carlson as a “MAGA die-hard turned vocal Trump critic,” which immediately raised a question for me.
Has the author ever listened to Tucker Carlson?
It looks like California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has gained a surprising new admirer: MAGA die-hard-turned-vocal-Trump critic Tucker Carlson.
Carlson’s love fest over Newsom kicked off during Friday’s episode of “The Tucker Carlson Show.” He asked his guest, independent political commentator Jimmy Dore, about his thoughts on the Democratic governor.
“I think he’s fantastic, don’t you think he’s great? I think he cares about the people,” Dore said. “I think it’s great, he’s going to make the country look as pretty as his hair.”
Visibly amused by Dore’s reply, Carlson said that “it feels like [Newsom’s] the nominee,” apparently referring to the 2028 presidential election. Although Newsom has not officially announced a presidential run, he is widely considered a top contender and has publicly said he’s actively considering a White House bid.
“We’ll see. I mean, he’s got the gift of gab,” Dore said of Newsom, prompting Carlson to gush, “Oh, he’s unbelievable!” – Huffpost
The Story Isn’t What HuffPost Thinks It Is
The HuffPost article treats Carlson’s comments about Gavin Newsom as though something shocking has occurred. Readers are informed that a “MAGA die-hard” is now praising one of Trump’s biggest political rivals.
The problem is that this story would have been a lot more surprising a few years ago.
Anyone paying attention has noticed that Tucker Carlson’s relationship with Trump has cooled considerably. Carlson has spent the past year criticizing Trump on multiple issues, particularly foreign policy.
The same can be said, to a lesser extent, for Megyn Kelly and several other prominent conservative commentators who once seemed much more aligned with Trump than they do today.
Whether that shift is driven by genuine disagreement, audience incentives, personal ambition, or something else entirely is a debate for another day.
The point is that HuffPost writes as though Tucker Carlson suddenly wandered off the reservation this week when the reality is that the distance between Carlson and Trump has been developing for quite some time.
Tucker Carlson Gushes Over ‘Charming’ Gavin Newsom: ‘Oh, He’s Unbelievable’ https://t.co/cGNGuhiNoX
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) June 6, 2026
Gavin Newsom’s Greatest Asset Remains His Publicist
The more interesting part of the story is not Tucker Carlson. The more interesting part is Gavin Newsom.
For years, the media has been trying to sell the public on Newsom’s appeal. Every profile seems to include some variation of the same description.
- He’s charming.
- He’s charismatic.
- He’s polished.
- He’s handsome.
- He’s presidential.
At this point, I feel like I’ve read more evaluations of Gavin Newsom’s hair than Gavin Newsom’s governing.
Perhaps that’s because discussing his appearance is easier than discussing California.
Whenever journalists describe Newsom, they often sound less like political reporters and more like casting directors searching for the next leading man. Readers are repeatedly assured that he looks the part, sounds the part, and carries himself like a future president.
What remains less clear is whether he has actually performed like one.
California Keeps Interrupting The Narrative
This is the point where someone inevitably accuses critics of ignoring Newsom’s accomplishments, so let me be clear.
I understand why Newsom is considered politically talented. He is comfortable in interviews, speaks seemingly confidently. And apparently he can communicate a message without sounding like he accidentally wandered into the wrong room. I mean if we are comparing him to Kamala Harris or Joe Biden that is. Personally, I don’t think he’s all that smart. But I can see why the media wants to push this narrative.
Whenever the conversation turns to Newsom’s political future, I find myself looking beyond the personality and toward the state he currently runs. I think about housing costs, homelessness, businesses relocating elsewhere, and the steady stream of stories that have turned California into a national political debate all by itself.
Reasonable people can disagree about the causes of those problems and the effectiveness of Newsom’s policies. What is harder to understand is why discussions about his future so often begin and end with his charisma.
Charm is not a governing philosophy. Good hair is not a policy platform.
Being pleasant on a podcast does not automatically qualify someone for the White House.
The Hair Cannot Do All The Heavy Lifting
The funniest part of this entire story is that we’re still having the same conversation.
Every few months, somebody in the media rediscovers Gavin Newsom and announces that he is charming, charismatic, handsome, articulate, and destined for the White House. The sales pitch never changes because apparently neither does the product.
Meanwhile, California continues doing its best to undermine the brochure.
At some point, I would like to hear less about Gavin Newsom’s hair and more about Gavin Newsom’s results. I realize that may be asking a lot from people who seem determined to confuse political marketing with political achievement.
Then again, if California’s record were as impressive as Gavin Newsom’s public relations team, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Feature Image: AI-generated illustration.
