Sean Hannity says he’s no longer friends with Gavin Newsom, argues Newsom’s record is weak, and predicts Trump’s long legacy.
Sean Hannity is adding new airtime to an already dominant media career, but in a recent wide-ranging interview his attention kept snapping back to politics and to the people he believes will shape it next.
At 64, Hannity—who has been a fixture of conservative cable news for decades—said he is not scaling back.. Instead. he is expanding into podcasting. launching a twice-weekly show in March titled “Hang Out with Sean Hannity. ” with early guests that include Stephen A.. Smith, Democratic Pennsylvania Sen.. John Fetterman, and Republican Florida Gov.. Ron DeSantis.
The interview also revisited Hannity’s long-run media influence and the way he measures his work.. He joined Fox News in 1996 and described his broadcast schedule and longevity as a kind of continuing privilege. saying people often ask him when he plans to rest and that he will “rest” only when he is “dead.” He framed his momentum as something he still enjoys across multiple formats rather than a routine he feels forced to maintain.
Hannity explained that radio. television. and podcasting are different—not just in format. but in how audiences engage—adding that he simply likes doing the work.. He also drew a line from his current drive to his upbringing. describing an environment where he helped raise himself. with his mother working long shifts as a prison guard.. In that account. independence began early: by age 8. he said he was earning his own money and buying his own food.
When asked about former colleagues Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson. Hannity said he is not in touch with them. and he downplayed the expectation that former coworkers automatically become subjects for constant conflict.. He said he does not see himself as being in that stage of his career anymore. while also emphasizing that he did not have problems with them during their time together at Fox.
That broader attitude—less about rivalry and more about staying focused on his own lane—also came through when Hannity spoke about his relationship to controversial debates on his network.. He said he is grateful for his work at Fox and that. rather than getting pulled into every contentious topic others raise. he is not trying to spend his time paying attention to it or commenting on it.
The politics portion of the interview turned sharply personal when Hannity addressed Democratic California Gov.. Gavin Newsom.. Hannity said that their relationship has shifted and that they are “not friends anymore.” He connected his view of Newsom’s future prospects to what he described as weak performance in California. arguing that the governor’s odds are diminishing in large part because of what he calls a poor job in the state.
Hannity pointed to California’s tax and economic conditions as central to his argument. listing claims about the size of income and other tax burdens. while also asserting that the state still runs a multibillion-dollar deficit.. He also raised social challenges. saying California faces what he described as the worst poverty and homeless rates. and he used those points to argue that Newsom’s political pitch based on California’s economic scale is not enough.
But Hannity’s most pointed criticism was about Newsom’s presence and priorities.. He said his biggest complaint is that Newsom “doesn’t show up. ” describing the governor as spending time traveling between places such as Davos and Munich and appearing “here. there. everywhere.” Hannity also portrayed Newsom as a frequent presence in political media ecosystems. saying what he sees as Newsom’s focus is split between following Trump and. in Hannity’s telling. following Hannity.
Asked whether he worries the conservative movement has become overly tied to President Trump personally, Hannity said he does not.. He argued that conservatism has a history of returning to past leaders for decades after their terms—invoking the legacy of Ronald Reagan—and predicted that Trump will be revered for years to come.
In Hannity’s framing. this is less about one figure replacing the movement and more about continuity through a recurring “golden era” of economic success.. He said he believes Trump has reshaped the conservative movement for decades to come. suggesting that the party will continue to draw on Trump’s presidency the way it previously quoted Reagan after he left office.
The interview leaves a clear thread running through Hannity’s new media push: he sees his work—whether on air or through a new podcast—as both personal momentum and political influence.. At the same time. his comments about Newsom underscore how intensely the conversation inside conservative media is still being driven by figures who. in his view. define the contest well beyond the next election cycle.
In this context. Hannity’s dismissal of Newsom as a potential threat for 2028—and his insistence that Trump’s legacy will endure—reflect a familiar strategy in politics and media alike: argue that opponents are losing momentum. then redirect the audience toward a longer-term narrative about where the movement is heading next.
Sean Hannity Gavin Newsom Hang Out with Sean Hannity Fox News Trump legacy podcast interview Republican Party