Overview
- At The New York Times' DealBook Summit, Gavin Newsom told a room of business leaders they were bowing to President Donald Trump for access, a message that drew muted applause, according to reports.
- On Apple, he said Tim Cook could obtain tariff exceptions unavailable to small firms and called that access "by definition crony capitalism," while acknowledging Cook’s duty to shareholders.
- He singled out White House adviser David Sacks as an example of "self-dealing," citing reporting on Sacks’ crypto and AI roles and business ties involving Trump allies.
- He amplified his critique with tongue-in-cheek merchandise, noting his site’s "kneepads" mocking executives for "bending the knee" had sold out.
- He said tech leaders’ engagement with the administration is "very situational" and noted he has considered a 2028 run but remains focused on 2025 priorities.