Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom left viewers with more questions than answers on Fox Business Friday when he dodged a direct question about how he’d handle America’s trade imbalances.
Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential contender, has inserted himself into national debates by blasting President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son and saying on his podcast that allowing biological males in women’s sports is “deeply unfair.” During an appearance on “Kudlow,” host Larry Kudlow asked how a hypothetical “President Newsom” would address unfair foreign tariffs and barriers to U.S. exports. The governor offered a rambling response that leaned heavily on buzzwords.
“Look, I wouldn’t do it the way it’s being done. Identifying a problem is one thing. Advancing solutions and strategies in a consistent and comprehensive way, step by step, is the preferred approach. The instincts to bring manufacturing back are spot on, absolutely right,” Newsom said when pressed to explain what he would do differently than President Donald Trump.
Rather than laying out a clear trade agenda, Newsom delivered a meandering defense of the Biden administration’s industrial policy.
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“I would argue that the Biden administration advanced them in a deeply meaningful way. Talk about worker-centered industrial policy, the CHIPS and Science Act, the IRA, a framework of focus that I think was very populist. This was President Biden, in this case, that walked the picket line that saved the pensions for the Teamsters, but there was at least a more consistent, rational approach,” Newsom added.
If that wasn’t ambiguous enough, Newsom then encouraged the administration to “double down” on existing initiatives—offering no new ideas of his own.
“I’d rather see them double down on the CHIPS and Science Act. Tariffs can be used in targeted terms, but it’s hard. It’s hard work. This notion to arbitrarily, across the board, raise it here and emotionally raise it there, lower it emotionally, lower it here, this sends messages, mixed messages, to make investment almost impossible,” Newsom added.
Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law in August 2022 to strengthen U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. The law provides over $50 billion in subsidies and incentives for domestic chip production, but several funded projects have faced delays, slowing the intended progress. (RELATED: ‘Here’s The Reality’: Stephen A. Smith Dumps Cold Water On Gavin Newsom’s 2028 Prospects)
By March 2025, the CHIPS and Science Act has encountered significant challenges, including project delays and escalating costs, for instance. Intel’s $28 billion semiconductor facility in Ohio, initially slated to commence operations in 2025, has been postponed to around 2030 due to logistical issues and workforce shortages. Moreover, a report by the Peterson Institute for International Economics said that each job created under the Act costs taxpayers approximately $185,000 annually, nearly double the average salary in the semiconductor industry, raising concerns about the program’s cost-effectiveness.
Newsom said on “Real Time with Bill Maher” in March that the Democratic brand had become “toxic” and accused his own party of talking down to voters. Despite pouring billions into homelessness, Newsom continues to blame the crisis on restrictive housing policies rather than his administration’s failures.
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