Newsom calls Oval Office press “7 sycophants”

Newsom slams – California Gov. Gavin Newsom said President Donald Trump’s Oval Office press conferences are getting “softball” treatment, complaining that reporters are blocked from follow-ups and replaced by “7 sycophants.” The comments came during a Sunday appearance on pr

For Gavin Newsom, the frustration wasn’t in what he said about President Donald Trump — it was in how he said the press was allowed to ask questions.

Speaking on Sunday during an appearance on progressive YouTuber Jack Cocchiarella’s show. the California governor argued that Trump is getting what he called “softball” coverage at White House interviews and Oval Office press conferences. In Newsom’s telling, the format is designed to shut down anything resembling real back-and-forth.

“These press conferences in the Oval Office — you maybe have one or two reasonable reporters, they ask a question, there’s no chance for a follow-up, and then it’s 7 sycophants,” Newsom fumed.

He didn’t stop at the claim. Newsom followed it by performing what he described as the typical tone of a pro-MAGA reporter — a comparison that landed with bite because it was delivered as imitation rather than policy argument.

“Mr. Trump, you’re such a extraordinary man. You look quite handsome, you look like you’ve lost weight,” Newsom said. He then added a pointed mock question tied to a real policy topic from Trump’s world: “Is that because you are negotiating Medicaid Part D with GLP-1s because of your extraordinary work to get pharmaceutical prices down?”.

Then Newsom’s voice shifted from imitation to blunt dismissal.

“It’s just embarrassing,” Newsom said. “It’s an embarrassment.”

Newsom did not name specific outlets or reporters. But his critique came with a reference to an earlier White House change: the Trump Administration’s introduction of a “new media seat” at press briefings at the start of the president’s second term.

The rotating seat has been filled, according to the report, by reporters from several right-leaning outlets such as The Daily Wire and The Gateway Pundit, as well as Natalie Winters, who is a podcast co-host connected to Steve Bannon.

Newsom’s Oval Office complaint also landed in a moment when Trump has already shown his own impatience with some prominent mainstream reporters.

In a recent dust-up. Trump went after CNN anchor Kaitlin Collins last month during an Oval Office exchange. accusing her of being “crooked as hell” and working for a “corrupt” outlet. Trump’s comments included a personal attack framed around her appearance and demeanor: “She’s a young, beautiful woman. Never smiles. I never see a smile off her face. I see her standing there with hatred in her eyes.” He linked that alleged hostility to policy outcomes he says his administration is delivering. saying she has hatred because “we have borders. because we have a strong military. because we cut our taxes. because we do things that everybody wanted.” Trump then pointed to electoral victory. saying. “And then we win our election in a massive landslide.”.

There was also an awkward personal detail tied to Newsom’s appearance: Cocchiarella has a picture of him and Newsom shaking hands as the banner image on X.

Taken together. the picture Newsom painted on Sunday was not just about who was asking questions. but about whether questions could actually move beyond the moment. In his view. the Oval Office format limits scrutiny — and leaves little room for follow-ups before the conversation turns into applause.

Gavin Newsom Donald Trump Oval Office press conferences White House press briefings new media seat Medicaid Part D GLP-1s pharmaceutical prices Kaitlin Collins CNN media coverage