During his 2025 appearance on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom was questioned by the host about what Maher perceived as excessive bureaucracy in the state. Specifically, Maher expressed frustration over having to pay for two separate roof inspections on his home after wildfires affected the Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
“Why do I need two inspections, which I have to pay for?!” Maher exclaimed. “You were here last time. We talked about regulations. You said, ‘Oh, it’s a completely new day… You said you were working on it.”
That was the most heated moment of the conversation. Maher is generally supportive of Newsom, having encouraged him to consider a presidential run in 2028 and praised his social media critiques of President Trump. Additionally, the two share a similar hairstyle.
On Friday night, Newsom returned to the HBO show to discuss his memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery.” This time, Maher was more critical than in previous encounters.
Maher began their discussion by addressing the heightened political climate in the U.S., referencing a recent assassination attempt on President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“What did [Trump] do the day after [the assassination attempt]? He talked about the beach photo and the indictment of one of his enemies,” Newsom responded. He referred to Trump criticizing former FBI director James Comey, who had posted an innocuous photo of arranged seashells. “He’s not doing anything to try to unite this country in any way, shape, or form. To me, that’s the biggest reflection of this moment — just the sewer we’re now living in because of Donald Trump.”
Maher pressed further: “But many people would say that you are imitating him… You are the one who kind of imitates his style with the trolling. You’re suing Fox now, I understand.”
“Fox better look to settle right now or apologize for defamation,” Newsom retorted.
“OK but that sounds exactly like what he does,” Maher remarked. “Suing media?” He noted that since 2024, Trump has secured lucrative settlements from major media companies like Disney and Paramount through similar lawsuits.
Newsom remained firm: “Well, don’t defame, don’t lie,” he commented regarding his lawsuit against Fox News.
“That does sound like him,” Maher reiterated.
