California Governor Gavin Newsom intensified his criticism of former President Donald Trump this week, warning that the 2028 U.S. presidential election could be "rigged" through a coordinated effort to elevate Trump's preferred successor. The remarks, delivered during an appearance on The Jack Cocchiarella Show, reflect growing anxiety inside Democratic circles that Trump's political influence will outlast his time in office and shape the next generation of Republican leadership, including potential contenders such as J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio.
Newsom told listeners that he is no longer preoccupied with the possibility of Trump attempting a third presidential term, noting that the Twenty-Second Amendment bars such a move. "His regime is going to be measured not in decades, but in years," he said. "And that's comforting." But he quickly redirected the discussion to what he described as an orchestrated effort to position Trump's allies-and possibly even his children-to inherit the MAGA movement's political machinery.
The governor's comments underscore a broader strategic concern among Democrats: that Trump's enduring network, rather than Trump personally, represents the central threat to future elections. "That's why we have to be mindful of JD Vance. And we have to be mindful that they could try to rig that election for whoever he decides," Newsom warned. By naming specific successors, he signaled that the fight ahead may hinge not on Trump directly, but on those he elevates.
Newsom then listed several possible GOP ticket combinations that he believes the former president could engineer. "Is it Vance-(Marco) Rubio, Rubio-Vance? Is it his son? Is it, you know, daughter?" he asked, before adding a pointed rhetorical twist: "I mean, I'm serious... I mean, which member of the family is it? Barron?" While Barron Trump is constitutionally too young to run, the reference highlighted Newsom's argument that Trump's political dynasty may extend well beyond traditional party structures.
The California governor has repeatedly cast Trump as hostile to democratic norms. At a Politico event in Sacramento earlier this year, Newsom declared, "I don't think Donald Trump wants another election. This guy doesn't believe in free, fair elections." His remarks framed the former president not as a conventional political rival but as an existential challenge to electoral integrity.
Despite emphasizing Trump's two-term constitutional limit, Newsom acknowledged that the former president continues to loom over national politics, noting that he receives "Trump 2028" hats from what he called the former president's "rabid fanbase." He argued that the former president's appetite for public power remains undiminished, citing one of Trump's signature White House construction projects. "Who spends $200million on a ballroom at their home and then leaves the house?" Newsom asked, before offering a stark assessment: "The rule of law is being replaced by the rule of Don."
Newsom's remarks come as the Democratic Party begins to shape its 2028 strategy amid fears of institutional erosion, intensified political polarization, and concerns about election administration. His decision to raise the prospect of a "rigged" contest now appears designed to blunt Republican narratives around election legitimacy while casting himself as one of the party's most vocal defenders of democratic norms.
