Newsom Talks About Joe Rogan on CNN

California Governor Gavin Newsom shared his thoughts on Joe Rogan during a CNN interview on Monday, suggesting he’s “moving on” from the podcast host. He even questioned if Rogan might be “worried” about debating him.

This conversation picked up steam after Rogan had comedian Andrew Schultz on his podcast, where they discussed Newsom’s increased visibility and some of his remarks. In the interview, CNN’s Elex Michaelson played a clip of Rogan saying he wouldn’t host Newsom, implying Newsom would “cook himself.”

Newsom responded, “He’s been attacking me for years and consistently hasn’t had me on. But honestly, I’m moving on. Joe Rogan is the Facebook of podcasting. He had a chance to share the mic with some brilliant thinkers in the field, but… I think he’s just not interested.”

Rogan’s show has grown significantly, maintaining its position as Spotify’s top podcast and attracting between 16 to 24 million downloads monthly.

Michaelson pointed out that despite Newsom’s comments, Rogan has a substantial audience. Newsom retorted, “Respectfully, he may have a big audience, but if he lacks the confidence to have me on, that’s on him.”

Just prior to Rogan’s remarks, Newsom appeared on the YouTube show “Higher Learning,” questioning why Rogan, who previously called him a “bullshit artist” responsible for California’s issues, has avoided bringing him on. “I’m not afraid to throw down; I think Rogan’s not used to that,” he mentioned during the show. “Will he have me on? Who knows.”

Michaelson reminded Newsom that he had referred to Rogan as a “chicken,” to which Newsom reiterated that Rogan has been relentless in his criticism. “These guys—there’s a pattern. They criticize and distort, but this isn’t trivial. It’s deeper. Everyone says, ‘If Kamala Harris had just appeared on Rogan, she’d have won.’ But really, it’s more complicated.”

Newsom argued that Rogan should be willing to engage in “civil dialogue,” pointing out that other hosts, like Sean Ryan, have given him the floor for hours. “If I can talk to Sean Hannity and others, what’s stopping you, Joe? Are you scared I’ll win or you’ll lose?”

Interestingly, Rogan has had guests from both sides of the political spectrum. Leading up to the 2024 presidential election, he interviewed Donald Trump just before Election Day and had invited Kamala Harris—but she couldn’t join. Harris’ campaign claimed that a Rogan representative told them she couldn’t be interviewed on the same day Trump appeared due to it being a “personal day,” a point Rogan later denied, saying the booking was done long beforehand.

As of now, there’s been no comment from Rogan regarding the interview.