Gavin Newsom’s office wasted little time answering a suggestion from Donald Trump’s former spokeswoman: that California’s governor call the president.
Karoline Leavitt made the suggestion Friday night on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.” She left her post as White House press secretary in August.
Maher’s panel covered a wide range of topics. The conversation touched on how Trump governs, the coming midterm elections and the president’s relationships with Democratic officials.
Leavitt built her argument around Washington, D.C. She pointed to the working relationship between Trump and Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser as an example of how the White House and a Democratic local government can cooperate.
She told Maher the capital has seen improvements on homelessness and crime. Leavitt said the city has become more attractive during Trump’s second term.
Then she turned to California.
“Maybe your governor should call, maybe your mayor here should call,” Leavitt said. She was referring to Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and she said the state could “look a lot better.”
Maher, who has frequently criticized Trump, agreed with parts of her assessment of Washington. He then described his own private meeting with the president at the White House.
In Maher’s account, Trump listened closely, maintained eye contact and did not get angry when challenged during their conversation.
Leavitt agreed with that description. She said Trump “surveys the room,” drawing advice from lower-level staff members and senior officials alike before he makes a decision.
According to Leavitt, the president regularly asks aides at different levels of seniority for their opinions.
She added that Trump will work with Democrats who approach his administration looking for cooperation. Leavitt described him as someone who hears competing viewpoints before he acts.
Izzy Gardon, an adviser to Newsom, answered by pointing to February 2025. That month, Newsom met with Trump after wildfires devastated Los Angeles County.
Newsom traveled to Washington to seek federal disaster assistance. He said at the time that he wanted to approach the new administration with an “open hand, not a closed fist.”
Gardon used that meeting to reject the idea that Newsom had refused to work with the administration. He said the governor had already tried direct cooperation with Trump.
The relationship changed several months later.
Trump federalized more than 4,000 California National Guard troops during Los Angeles protests over federal immigration enforcement. Newsom opposed the action and challenged it in court.
Newsom’s approach to the president has hardened since then.
In a March interview, he said Democrats who try to cooperate with Trump eventually find out that Trump expects them to work for him instead of with him.
The dispute has carried into 2026.
Newsom has cast himself as one of Trump’s most outspoken Democratic opponents, and he has repeatedly challenged administration policies on immigration, federal authority and California.
The Maher conversation also turned to the November 3 midterm elections.
Trump is campaigning heavily for Republican candidates, and Maher raised the possibility that GOP losses could weaken the president during the final two years of his term.
Leavitt urged patience. She said no one should assume the outcome before voters finish casting their ballots.
She cited Trump’s return to the White House after he lost the 2020 election and said he has repeatedly defied political expectations.
Leavitt said Trump is now traveling extensively to encourage Republicans to vote.
The appearance marked another step back into public political life for Leavitt. She said she left the White House to spend more time with her family.
Leavitt has remained involved in Trump’s political operation since her departure. She begins a new role as a Fox News contributor on November 1.
