Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed concern on Tuesday that President Donald Trump will attempt to cancel the 2028 presidential election in order to retain power.
During an interview on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Newsom stated that Trump will attempt to rig not only next year’s midterm elections, but also the next White House race.
Newsom noted that he’s “raising awareness around how Donald Trump is trying to rig the midterm elections,” adding, “I fear that we will not have an election in 2028.”
“I truly believe that deep within my soul. Unless we wake up to the code red, what is going on in this country — we wake up to how serious this situation is,” the governor told Colbert.
Before the warning, Colbert questioned the governor about his efforts to counter Trump and the Republican agenda while laying the groundwork for a stronger Democratic Party.
Newsom, who interviewed late conservative activist Charlie Kirk and conservative commentator Steve Bannon earlier this year, praised his efforts to engage in civil debate and learn from opposing viewpoints.
“I believe civil engagements are important. I believe that dialogue is important. “It’s important to learn from your opponents and reconcile your flaws,” he said.
The governor went on to stress the importance of Democrats resetting after their defeat in 2024.
“As a Democratic Party, we have a lot of work to do to make up for previous failures. We were crushed in the last election, and now we are in a position where we are struggling to communicate and win back the majority in the House of Representatives,” he said.
Earlier in the interview, Newsom discussed the “tough time” Democrats have had during Trump’s second term.
“There’s a lot of anxiety, a lot of stress, and a lot of people who honestly don’t know if we’ll get our country back, and I understand. This guy is flooding the zone. He dominates the narratives. Facts do not appear to matter, and Democrats have had a difficult time pushing back,” he said.
Newsom added that many Democrats “feel this weakness that dominates our brand and our party” and expressed support for his opposition to Trump.
“And I believe what people value is our willingness to fight, not just symbolically by having a little fun, but substantively. We have 41 lawsuits filed against the son of a b—-. We are pushing back, and we are winning.”
