The Ben Shapiro Show – Ep. 2333 Gavin Newsom Wants to Trans The Kids

Date: December 12, 2025
Host: Ben Shapiro
Key Theme: The political, cultural, and policy battles shaping the 2028 presidential landscape—especially around trans issues, Democrat messaging, the economy, healthcare, and Republican challenges.

Episode Overview

Ben Shapiro dissects California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent comments on transgender children, using them as a lens for broader Democratic problems with radical social policy. The episode also explores the intersection of culture war issues and electoral math as Democrats eye 2028, as well as deep dives into the U.S. economic debate, healthcare subsidies, immigration, international sanctions, and party challenges in purplish districts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Gavin Newsom and the “Trans Kids” Debate

• Democratic Strategy Shift:

  • After a tight 2024, Democrats are moving unpopular issues like DEI and trans policies to the back burner, focusing instead on affordability and everyday economic pain points.
  • Yet, Newsom, positioning for a 2028 run, gets pulled back into the culture war on gender issues.

• Newsom’s Podcast Comments ([04:33]):

  • Newsom claims pride as the most pro-trans governor, saying he wants “to see trans kids” and citing personal connections to the trans community.

  • He addresses the complexity and controversy around trans athletes in sports, admitting the struggle for fairness has cost him friendships—displaying his attempt to straddle both centrist and leftist positions.

    “I want to see trans kids. I have a trans godson. There’s no governor that signed more pro trans legislation than I have.”
    —Gavin Newsom [04:45]

• Shapiro’s Critique ([05:53]):

  • Asserts that most Americans don’t accept the concept of “trans kids”—cites data that this was a winning Trump 2024 issue and a “losing strategy” for Democrats if revived.
  • Laments Newsom’s “trying to have every side of every issue,” calling the rhetoric “awkward” for Democrats.

2. The Musk–Newsom Spat: When Politics Gets Personal

• Twitter Drama ([07:04]):

  • Elon Musk responds to Newsom’s press office after personal jabs referencing his child; Musk denounces the “woke mind virus.”

  • Shapiro condemns personal attacks in public debate, recounting a past interaction with a trans student to argue policy should not hinge on personal stories.

    “[Newsom’s office] going after Elon Musk’s child is truly ugly stuff. Really, really ugly stuff.”
    —Ben Shapiro [07:27]

3. Economic Messaging and Trump’s Approval

• Affordability vs. Inflation:

  • Trump’s economic approval is lagging, especially on cost-of-living issues.

  • Shapiro explains the political potency of “affordability,” which is felt subjectively, as Democrats pivot to this from technical economic stats. ([13:23])

    “When you say affordability, that’s a feeling... Very few people tend to feel that things are generally affordable.”
    —Ben Shapiro [15:55]

• Mixed Messaging:

  • Trump celebrates stock market highs and tariffs but risks alienating voters by suggesting parents can’t afford extra gifts due to trade policies ([16:17]).

4. Obamacare Subsidies and the Healthcare Deadlock

• Democrats’ Tactics ([21:29]):

  • Shapiro argues the Democratic healthcare playbook is to engineer a crisis with expiring ACA subsidies, then blame Republicans for costs when extensions are blocked.
  • Both Senate Democratic and Republican measures to address healthcare costs fail, leaving millions at risk of higher premiums.

• Rhetorical Escalation & Blame Game:

  • Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Jon Ossoff use alarmist rhetoric (“people will die”) to paint Republicans as villains for not supporting the extension ([27:01]).

  • Shapiro warns against raising the stakes with “life and death” language, which can inflame political tensions.

    “Whenever you suggest that the political policies pursued by your opposition on matters of economics are death issues... you’re raising the stakes pretty dramatically.”
    —Ben Shapiro [27:36]

5. Indiana GOP Redistricting Rebukes Trump

• Redistricting Controversy ([33:51]):

  • Indiana legislative Republicans reject Trump’s push for gerrymandering, reflecting diverging interests of state vs. national party and growing limits to Trump’s coattails.

  • Trump vows political revenge against state GOP leaders who “didn’t play ball.”

    “He’ll go down. I’ll certainly support anybody that wants to go against him.”
    —Donald Trump, on Senator Bray [34:23]

6. Immigration and Foreign Policy

• Border Enforcement & Democrat Missteps ([36:39]):

  • Trump administration touts dramatic reductions in border apprehensions vs. Biden.
  • Congressional Democrats trip over themselves, with botched attacks on enforcement and misconstrued examples of deportation ([38:42]).

• Venezuela and International Leverage ([42:49]):

  • Trump’s sanctions and tanker seizures ramp up pressure on the Maduro regime, aiming for regime change by economic strangulation.

  • Trump claims near-total reduction in drug trafficking by sea ([42:49]).

    “Drug traffic by sea is down 92%. Anybody getting involved in that right now is not doing well.”
    —Donald Trump [42:49]

7. U.S., Russia & China – Dealing with Nuclear Threats and Tech

• Global Rivalry Analysis
  • Shapiro doubts prospects for true denuclearization with China or Russia, critiquing isolationist and “easy deal” rhetoric ([44:19]).
  • Expresses skepticism about the wisdom of selling advanced AI chips to China, referencing national security risks ([44:40]).

8. Ukraine War: Concessions & Security Guarantees

• Ukraine’s Latest Peace Overtures
  • Ukraine proposes a demilitarized Donbass economic zone to entice U.S. support. Shapiro questions the reliability of future U.S. security guarantees to Ukraine ([45:46]).
  • Warns that weak Western resolve could encourage future Russian aggression.

9. European Stagnation and Lessons for U.S. Conservatives

• The Welfare State Trap
  • Shapiro critiques Europe’s high-tax, high-spending social model as a blueprint for economic sclerosis and advises U.S. conservatives to reject both open immigration and European-style welfare statism.

Interview Highlight: Francis Suarez, Mayor of Miami ([51:41])

Topic: Why Republicans lost Miami and what the party must do to compete in urban and diverse settings.

• Debunking the “Miami Flipped” Narrative: Suarez explains historical context and misrepresentation of party trends in Miami, noting the city’s long tradition of independents and pragmatic Republicans.

• Republican Missteps:

  • GOP ran a too-partisan campaign; failed to appeal to MPAs (non-party voters) and address “kitchen table” issues.

  • The allure of socialism (“easiest sell in politics”) and Democrats’ relentless focus on affordability swayed key blocs.

    “Socialism is the easiest sell in politics. You just take advantage of discontent... even if everybody’s succeeding.”
    —Francis Suarez [55:16]

• Hispanic Voters & Immigration:

  • Recent polling shows a dip in Republican traction with Hispanics; Suarez cites a need for coherent, metrics-based immigration policy and more focus on Latin American prosperity to counter China and root causes.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Newsom on Trans Kids:

  “I want to see trans kids. I have a trans godson. There’s no governor that signed more pro trans legislation than I have.” – [04:45]

• Shapiro on Mixing Policy & Personal:

  “When you merge the personal and the political in this way, it gets really ugly really quickly.” – [07:27]

• On Democratic Obfuscation:

  “It’s the meme where the guy shoots the guy on the couch and then says, ‘who would have done this?’ Democrats created the problem, but apparently it’s the Republicans fault.” – [26:07]

• Trump on Retaliation vs. Indiana GOP:

  “He’ll go down. I’ll certainly support anybody that wants to go against him.” – [34:23]

• Francis Suarez on Urban GOP Strategy:

  “You cannot run a strictly partisan race in a city like Miami.” – [55:57]

• On the Politics of Socialist Promises:

  “People want solutions. So if someone’s talking about something and focusing on something, they’re probably going to gravitate to that, especially since socialism ... sounds good, you know, in rhetoric.” – [57:56]

Key Segment Timestamps

• 01:22 — Democrats recalibrate for 2028, moving away from equity and trans politics
• 04:33 — Gavin Newsom: “I want to see trans kids” (excerpt from podcast)
• 05:53 — Shapiro: “That is a losing strategy for Democrats”
• 07:04–09:00 — Musk vs Newsom’s press office, Shapiro on personal/political boundaries
• 13:23 — Trump’s weak economic ratings and Democrats’ “affordability” pitch
• 21:29–27:36 — ACA subsidies fight, partisan blame, and healthcare deadlock
• 33:51–34:34 — Indiana redistricting: Republican rebellion against Trump’s wishes
• 36:39 — Trump’s immigration crackdown and Democratic fumbles in Congress
• 42:49–44:40 — Venezuela sanctions, drug traffic claims, and global tech rivalry
• 51:41–60:10 — Interview with Francis Suarez on Miami, party strategy, and immigration

Tone and Language

• Shapiro’s signature style: fast-paced, cutting, and heavily interspersed with analysis, mockery, and rhetorical zingers.
• Frequent direct quotation and attribution—especially when quoting political opponents or highlighting partisan hypocrisy.
• A blend of policy critique and political strategy/game theory, tailored for a conservative audience.

Summary Takeaways

• Democrats are already struggling with how to message around socially divisive topics like transgender issues for 2028, as seen in Newsom’s hedging and subsequent blowback.
• The GOP is benefiting from Democratic overreach on some culture war issues, but is vulnerable on economic “affordability.”
• Healthcare subsidies and coverage remain a potent political tripwire.
• Intraparty Republican tensions (e.g., Indiana redistricting) and lack of urban appeal pose dangers for upcoming cycles.
• Foreign policy is a complex, shifting mix of toughness (Venezuela), realism (Ukraine), and uncertainty (China tech, Russia negotiations).
• To win swing areas and diverse cities, Republicans must broaden their focus, emphasizing everyday concerns and resisting the temptation of a purely partisan playbook.

This summary encapsulates the core arguments, narratives, and notable moments from Ben Shapiro’s December 12, 2025 episode, giving non-listeners a clear sense of both the substance and the show’s distinctive tone.