WASHINGTON (TNND) — California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom had an awkward reaction during a podcast interview when the host brought up the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
During an interview on the Higher Learning Podcast, host Van Lathan said he would not vote for any political candidate who takes money from AIPAC.
“It’s interesting,” Newsom said awkwardly in response. “I mean– It’s interesting, I haven’t thought about AIPAC in- It’s interesting you’re like the first to bring up AIPAC in years, which is interesting.”
“Which is just interesting,” repeated Newsom. “It’s interesting you say that. JPAC perhaps more, but AIPAC less and less. It’s just interesting.”
Lathan later said he was trying to figure out who he vote for in the next presidential cycle.
Newsom shot back by saying Lathan should focus on the local city council race and the school board race right now.
California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna called out Newsom for his reaction regarding AIPAC on the podcast.
“This is not “interesting,’” Khanna wrote on X.
“It is defining for the future of our party. We must be for human rights, not take PAC & lobbyist money including AIPAC, & call out the genocide to win the trust of young voters & have America be a moral leader in the world again.”
AIPAC has also been criticized by Republicans such as Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie and former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Gaetz has gotten into a spat with AIPAC after Gaetz went on the Timcast podcast and criticized how their donor events were run.
