Newsom Retreats Under Fire: Shapiro Forces ICE, Gender Admissions

Paul Riverbank, 1/16/2026Gov. Gavin Newsom faces bipartisan scrutiny after rebuking his team’s rhetoric on immigration and sidestepping tough questions on gender policy, highlighting the mounting pressures as his profile rises amid California’s persistent crises.

The spark came from a tweet—not from an off-the-cuff comment or policy proposal, but a line from Newsom’s press team that labeled a fatal shooting by an ICE officer as “state-sponsored terrorism.” The phrase set off a firestorm, with Shapiro pushing hard, “Your office called our ICE officers terrorists. That’s not right.” Newsom, usually more defiant, simply conceded. “Yeah, I think that’s fair,” he said—an unexpectedly frank admission for a leader known to circle back before giving ground.

That moment of agreement cracked open the floodgates. The governor went on to distance himself from the farthest left corners of his party, making it clear he wasn’t among those clamoring to abolish ICE. On the contrary, he reminded listeners that California works hand-in-glove with the agency, especially when it comes to transferring inmates. “California has done more ICE transfers than probably anywhere else. I’ve vetoed bills trying to stop that,” he noted, a response likely to surprise both critics and supporters on his home turf.

Predictably, this does little to quell skepticism. The left bristles at what looks like a strategic retreat; voices on the right claim it's an overdue course correction. For Newsom, it meant walking a political tightrope while millions watched and pundits circled, eager for signs of weakness or wavering.

Their discussion pivoted to another lightning rod—gender identity and how schools approach the subject. Shapiro demanded clarity: “Are kids being transitioned at school without their parents knowing? Can a boy become a girl?” Newsom’s answer wandered, as if searching for footing. “Yeah… well, for the grace of God… yeah.” The response, less an answer than a question in itself, fell short of the soundbite territory. Newsom offered instead a plea for moderation—“We’re talking about a minority. There’s too much hate tied to this issue.” Shapiro pounced, “Disagreeing isn’t bigotry,” and the dialogue looped back into the culture wars that so often dominate American discourse.

The exchange monopolized social media feeds—sparking hot takes from virtually every political corner. Some saw Newsom shrinking from his progressive image, while others argued the uproar over a tweet missed the deeper point: policies themselves and their outcomes.

None of this is happening in a vacuum. California’s ongoing struggles—spiraling living costs, surges in homelessness, and a steady stream of residents leaving—shadow Newsom at every turn. Critics are fond of rattling off lists: highest homelessness, rising taxes, out-migration, unaffordable houses—“California leads, just not in the way we hoped,” vents one opinion piece that gained traction online.

Homelessness, in particular, landed under a magnifying glass after critics tallied up the state’s spending—$24 billion, reportedly amounting to roughly $170,000 per homeless person. One local observer dryly noted, “Where I come from, you could buy a house for that.” The state’s homeless numbers have meanwhile increased, casting doubt on the efficacy of policies rolled out with much fanfare.

In his defense, Newsom continues to point to the nuts and bolts of governance—his willingness to cooperate with ICE when needed, his record of vetoes against what he sees as shortsighted measures. But as the Shapiro interview made clear, his every move faces new scrutiny. Those hints at a presidential run in 2028? They only make the spotlight brighter, and the margin for error even slimmer.

In the world of politics, it’s often not your opponents who cause the biggest headaches—it’s the slips and stumbles that emerge from within your own camp. This week reminded Gavin Newsom—and anyone watching—that in today’s era, a single tweet can become a test of leadership, loyalty, and political survival.

No one expected Governor Gavin Newsom’s week to hinge on a single podcast interview, yet there he was—center stage, squaring off with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, and quickly realizing words from his own office had become ammunition in the broader culture clash.The spark came from a tweet—not from an off-the-cuff comment or policy proposal, but a line from Newsom’s press team that labeled a fatal shooting by an ICE officer as “state-sponsored terrorism.” The phrase set off a firestorm, with Shapiro pushing hard, “Your office called our ICE officers terrorists. That’s not right.” Newsom, usually more defiant, simply conceded. “Yeah, I think that’s fair,” he said—an unexpectedly frank admission for a leader known to circle back before giving ground.That moment of agreement cracked open the floodgates. The governor went on to distance himself from the farthest left corners of his party, making it clear he wasn’t among those clamoring to abolish ICE. On the contrary, he reminded listeners that California works hand-in-glove with the agency, especially when it comes to transferring inmates. “California has done more ICE transfers than probably anywhere else. I’ve vetoed bills trying to stop that,” he noted, a response likely to surprise both critics and supporters on his home turf.Predictably, this does little to quell skepticism. The left bristles at what looks like a strategic retreat; voices on the right claim it's an overdue course correction. For Newsom, it meant walking a political tightrope while millions watched and pundits circled, eager for signs of weakness or wavering.Their discussion pivoted to another lightning rod—gender identity and how schools approach the subject. Shapiro demanded clarity: “Are kids being transitioned at school without their parents knowing? Can a boy become a girl?” Newsom’s answer wandered, as if searching for footing. “Yeah… well, for the grace of God… yeah.” The response, less an answer than a question in itself, fell short of the soundbite territory. Newsom offered instead a plea for moderation—“We’re talking about a minority. There’s too much hate tied to this issue.” Shapiro pounced, “Disagreeing isn’t bigotry,” and the dialogue looped back into the culture wars that so often dominate American discourse.The exchange monopolized social media feeds—sparking hot takes from virtually every political corner. Some saw Newsom shrinking from his progressive image, while others argued the uproar over a tweet missed the deeper point: policies themselves and their outcomes.None of this is happening in a vacuum. California’s ongoing struggles—spiraling living costs, surges in homelessness, and a steady stream of residents leaving—shadow Newsom at every turn. Critics are fond of rattling off lists: highest homelessness, rising taxes, out-migration, unaffordable houses—“California leads, just not in the way we hoped,” vents one opinion piece that gained traction online.Homelessness, in particular, landed under a magnifying glass after critics tallied up the state’s spending—$24 billion, reportedly amounting to roughly $170,000 per homeless person. One local observer dryly noted, “Where I come from, you could buy a house for that.” The state’s homeless numbers have meanwhile increased, casting doubt on the efficacy of policies rolled out with much fanfare.In his defense, Newsom continues to point to the nuts and bolts of governance—his willingness to cooperate with ICE when needed, his record of vetoes against what he sees as shortsighted measures. But as the Shapiro interview made clear, his every move faces new scrutiny. Those hints at a presidential run in 2028? They only make the spotlight brighter, and the margin for error even slimmer.In the world of politics, it’s often not your opponents who cause the biggest headaches—it’s the slips and stumbles that emerge from within your own camp. This week reminded Gavin Newsom—and anyone watching—that in today’s era, a single tweet can become a test of leadership, loyalty, and political survival.