Newsom's Spokesperson Becomes The Story

Izzy Gardon isn’t just Gavin Newsom’s chief defender on social media. Increasingly, he is becoming the headline himself.

As Newsom’s spokesperson, Gardon is one of the comms staffers behind the governor's strategy to counteract Donald Trump’s second presidency by embracing a combative tone and a trolling online presence. But Gardon, more than any other aide, is suddenly becoming a focal point of the attention — and backlash.

Gardon referred to rapper and MAGA activist Nicki Minaj as a “stupid hoe” on X. He reveled in mocking conservative influencer Laura Loomer online after she called him a “FAG,” replying, “I’ve never been more proud!” And this week, Gardon sent an email telling conservative author Susan Crabtree to “Respectfully, fuck off.”

The emergence of Gardon as a prominent character is a result of Newsom’s anti-Trump strategy, a “fight fire with fire” approach designed to undermine the president through imitation, using outlandish memes, hyperbole and AI-generated images. Newsom’s aides have pointed to his rising favorability ratings as evidence of its effectiveness.

“That ethos is how we’re fighting Trump and feeds into the engine of how we’re fighting Trump in these appalling times,” Bob Salladay, Newsom’s senior comms adviser and Gardon’s boss, told Playbook. “Izzy’s creativity and imagination is part of what the governor is doing.”

But Gardon's bombastic new persona has also provided fodder for Newsom’s critics on the right (and even some Democrats), who’ve questioned his tone and the appropriateness of a government worker making such posts in an official capacity.

“Most unprofessional person to ever work in politics,” Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator and Democratic megadonor, posted on X. “Izzy Gardon brings shame to the Newsom campaign.”

Multiple Newsom advisers told Playbook that Gardon’s moxy is no rogue act, but reflects the governor’s exasperation with the political speech normalized by Trump, who’s often used crude language to talk about women, immigrants and other groups.

“If the way to shine a light on Donald Trump’s destructive agenda is to say ‘fuck,’ then fuck yeah,” quipped Jason Elliott, a political adviser to Newsom and his former deputy chief of staff.

Elliott emphasized that Gardon isn’t cursing or using other hyperbolic language without input. “Izzy is the one who goes to the metaphorical podium,” he said. “He is a part of a staff group that is a well-oiled machine that is in constant communication with each other and the governor.”

Before Trump returned to power, Gardon had been an unassuming communications adviser who previously worked for two state attorneys general (Rob Bonta and Xavier Becerra) and, before that, began his career as a fellow and press assistant to former Gov. Jerry Brown.

“Personally, he’s a very kind guy,” said Maya Polon, a Sacramento public affairs strategist and close friend of Gardon. “He can be sassy. This is him but amplified. He is not necessarily this big personality in his social life.”

Polon said she’s reached out several times after seeing posts about him that are especially personal — attacking him for being gay or bringing up his partner — but that Gardon seemed unfazed. She said her friend has become “chronically online,” dropping references to Clavicular in conversation and coming up with tweets on New Year's Eve.

“We were like, what if you watched Anderson Cooper like the rest of us?” she recalled. “This is something he never stops thinking about. I don’t think he ever shuts off.”

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