California Gov. Gavin Newsom (left) escalated his feud with Joe Rogan (right) after the podcaster called him a “cardboard cutout of a person” on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
Gabrielle Lurie/S.F. Chronicle, Chris Unger/Getty
Gov. Gavin Newsom escalated his long-running feud with Joe Rogan, firing back after the podcaster described him as a “cardboard cutout of a person” and questioned whether voters see him as authentic.
In an all-caps post from the Governor Newsom Press Office X account late Thursday, April 30, Newsom accused Rogan of avoiding a direct exchange.
“JOE ‘LITTLE GUY’ ROGAN IS TOO CHICKEN TO HAVE ME ON HIS FAILING PODCAST BECAUSE HE KNOW I’D CRUSH HIM, SO HE TAKES CHEAP SHOTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY AS HE GETS RELEGATED TO IRRELEVANCY. ALL TALK, NO ACTION. I’M READY WHEN YOU ARE, ‘LITTLE GUY.’ OR KEEP HIDING!!!!” the post said.
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The message was in keeping with the combative, all-caps style his team has increasingly adopted to mock President Donald Trump and other conservative figures.
The broadside came after Rogan criticized Newsom on an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” earlier in the day, arguing that the California governor comes across as a “stone cold, narrative-driven politician” and that “no one believes” he is a “real person.”
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“Whether you like Trump or not, whether you think he’s corrupt, (he’s) a human being,” Rogan said. “With Newsom, you’ve got like this construct, this cardboard cutout of a person.”
Rogan, one of the country’s most popular podcast hosts, has criticized Newsom for years, particularly over pandemic restrictions.
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He lived in California for decades before moving to Austin, Texas, in 2020, a relocation he has attributed in part to frustration with COVID-era rules.
In an October episode of his podcast, Rogan showed little interest in hosting Newsom after comedian Andrew Schulz asked about a possible appearance, criticizing the governor’s social media style as “stupid” and a “bad look.”
“This is such a bad strategy,” Rogan said. “Like, I probably would have had him on, but now I’m like ‘No, what are you doing?’”
Newsom, meanwhile, has repeatedly said Rogan has criticized him without inviting him onto the show. During a July 2025 appearance on the “Shawn Ryan Show,” Newsom responded to questions Ryan said came from Rogan about California’s pandemic policies and vaccine mandates.
“Motherf—er!” Newsom said when Rogan’s name came up, before adding that he remained a fan of the podcaster. “He ain’t a fan of mine, but I’m a Joe Rogan fan. No bulls—.”
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Newsom defended his pandemic record in that interview, saying California was making decisions with limited information and following federal guidance available at the time. He also rejected Rogan’s suggestion that vaccine policy was influenced by pharmaceutical companies.
“I’ve signed some of the most progressive laws against Big Pharma in the country, so I have receipts on that,” Newsom said.
The latest exchange comes as Newsom, who is termed out after 2026, continues to raise his national profile and is widely viewed as a potential Democratic contender in 2028.