On February 22, 2026, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro appeared on ABC’s “This Week,” and California Governor Gavin Newsom appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” in interviews that focused heavily on President Donald Trump’s tariff and immigration agenda while also touching on the governors’ national political futures.
The interviews came as national commentators have begun speculating about the 2028 presidential cycle and how prominent Democrats may be covered on major Sunday shows.
On ABC’s “This Week,” co-anchor Martha Raddatz interviewed Shapiro after he attended a White House breakfast meeting with Trump during the National Governors Association winter meeting, according to an ABC News rush transcript. Shapiro described the moment Trump learned of a Supreme Court ruling against the administration’s tariff approach, saying an aide handed the president a note and Trump asked, “We lost?” with the aide nodding in response.
Raddatz then asked about the administration’s next steps on tariffs. Shapiro criticized the continued push for new tariff authority and said, “I wish he would just adhere to the Supreme Court’s ruling and stop the pain for the American people.”
The ABC interview also turned to immigration enforcement. Asked about the possibility of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge in Pennsylvania, Shapiro said, “We do not want that kind of chaos in our communities in Pennsylvania, so don’t come. But if you come, we are prepared to address it.”
Raddatz also raised reporting about tensions between Shapiro and Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. Shapiro described their relationship as “constructive” but declined to commit to backing Fetterman if he seeks reelection, saying, “I think he needs to decide if he’s running, and then we’ll make a decision from there.”
On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Newsom criticized Trump after the Supreme Court struck down major elements of the administration’s tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In a clip highlighted by the program’s official account, Newsom said Trump “is flailing.”
Newsom also discussed personal topics that have featured in recent long-form coverage of his life and political rise, including his dyslexia and how he has reframed it as a strength, calling it “a superpower.”
When asked about the possibility of competing in a 2028 Democratic primary that could include former Vice President Kamala Harris, Newsom said, “That’s — you know, fate will determine that,” adding, “I’ve never gotten in the way of her ambition, ever.” He then pivoted to a broader point about focusing on what can be controlled.
The Supreme Court ruling at the center of both conversations involved the limits of presidential tariff authority under IEEPA. Legal analysts said the Court held in Learning Resources v. Trump that the statute did not authorize worldwide tariffs imposed unilaterally by the president.
The interviews offered an early look at how national broadcast outlets are approaching high-profile Democratic governors as discussion builds around 2028, with both men using the appearances to sharpen their critiques of Trump while addressing questions about their political futures.
