California Governor Gavin Newsom, potential 2028 presidential candidate, surprised many when he aligned with Turning Point’s Charlie Kirk on the issue of biologically male athletes in women’s sports.

During the debut episode of his new podcast, This is Gavin Newsom, the governor acknowledged the unfairness of biological males competing in female sports.

Gavin Newsom says his son wanted to meet Charlie Kirk, but he wouldn’t let him miss school. Kirk replies, “Well, you cancelled school for like two years—what’s one day going to do?”

Newsom just laughs.

That laugh means, “My kid went to private schools that stayed open while I… pic.twitter.com/UUY57056PN

— Laura Powell (@LauraPowellEsq) March 6, 2025

“The young man who’s about to win the state championship in the long jump in female sports, that shouldn’t happen,” Kirk said to Newsom.

Kirk, a staunch Trump ally and leader of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, then challenged Newsom directly: “You, as the governor, should step out and say no. Would you do something like that? Would you say no men in female sports?”

“Well, I think it’s an issue of fairness,” Newsom replied. “I completely agree with you on that. It’s deeply unfair.”

Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) has the perfect response to Charlie Kirk on the issue of transgender women playing men's sports, during his podcast "This is Gavin Newsom".

This is how I believe the vast majority of Democrats feel on the issue, but for some reason they aren't able to… pic.twitter.com/qNIcLwOIul

— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) March 6, 2025

Kirk then pressed Newsom on the recent victory of a transgender athlete at Jurupa Valley High School in Southern California. AB Hernandez, a biological male, won the long jump competition with a more than 40-foot jump, beating the female runner-up by nearly eight feet. Hernandez also took first place in two other events.

Newsom, who has long been a supporter of LGBTQ causes and previously defied state laws to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, did not directly address the specific case but reiterated, “It’s a fairness issue.”

“So that’s easy to call out the unfairness of that,” Newsom added. “There’s also a humility and a grace… these poor people are more likely to commit suicide, have anxiety and depression, and the way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with as well.”

“So both things I can hold in my hand,” he continued. “How can we address this issue with the kind of decency that I think you know is inherent in you, but not always expressed on the issue?”

In California, transgender athletes have been protected under AB 1266, the School Success and Opportunity Act, since 2013. Additionally, Senate Bill 132, signed by Newsom in 2020, allows inmates to request accommodations based on their gender identity.