Newsom grilled by NBC’s Kristen Welker on Biden’s fitness to serve
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom pressed NBC News anchor Kristen Welker about whether former President Joe Biden can serve through 2029, his defense of the former president and Kamala Harris’ failed campaign during Sunday’s “Meet the Press.”
“Governor, did you legitimately believe that he could serve as president until January 2029?” Welker asked.
The governor recently praised Biden as one of the most successful presidents.
“Yes, I think my focus, frankly, was on the situational. It was to make sure Donald Trump didn’t come back into office to experience everything we’re going through today. And there was no interaction that suggested otherwise,” Newsom responded.
Welker also wanted Biden to respond to Americans who feel misled by Democrats about his mental acuity.
Former President Joe Biden on Sunday, July 7, 2024, at Mt. He speaks at a church service at the Airy Church of God. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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“I will not put myself in someone else’s shoes or popular opinion. I will express my truth about my relationship with the former president of the United States, which was a master class in foreign policy and domestic policy at the end of his term, including literally in December,” Newsom said. “There was nothing in terms of my interaction to suggest what you just said or what others have suggested. That’s the only thing I can be responsible for.”
The NBC News host then began pressing Newsom on why Harris lost the election and whether Biden would beat Trump if he remained in the race.
“Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker and California Governor Gavin Newsom will appear on “Meet the Press” on October 30, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Kim White/NBC via Getty Images)
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Newsom said a big reason for Democrats’ loss was historical headwinds, and he listed several reasons why they lost.
“We can talk about Wowe. We can talk about 107 days. We can talk about the lack of an open primary. We can talk about ‘The View.'” Again, I’m on page six of 24. And how you package that, how you stack that in terms of everything, I think there still needs to be a little more forensics, a little more analysis,” he said.
Newsom announced in an interview on October 26 that he was seriously considering the possibility of running for president after the 2026 midterm elections.
California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at a press conference to launch the Yes on 50 campaign at the California Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento, California, on August 21, 2025. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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In a “Meet the Press” interview, Welker asked the Democratic governor why he wanted to be president.
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“I don’t. I’m not suggesting that I am. It was a reaction to someone talking about this, and I – there’s nothing I dislike more than a politician sitting there and lying to you. And we’re all sitting there rolling our eyes and saying, ‘Give me a break.’ we said. So there’s nothing about that; I’m focusing on Proposition 50. “I focus on fair and free elections,” he replied.
