(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) California Gov. Gavin Newsom firmly rejected the woke and widely rejected term “Latinx” to describe Latinos, insisting his office had never used it. But there’s one problem: he repeatedly did.
Newsom made the seemingly hypocritical comments during his viral interview with Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on March 6, where the two mocked the Democratic Party’s shift toward leftist ideology.
“You said 2020 is when you started to see the Democrats sort of advance this notion of wokeism,” Newsom told Kirk.
“It’s when the ‘awokening’ really started. You know what I’m talking about,” Kirk replied.
“The ‘Latinx’ stuff? By the way, not one person ever in my office has ever used the word ‘Latinx.’ So, I’m like, what the hell?” Newsom exclaimed.
“So, can we finally put that to bed? Do we agree?” Kirk shot back.
“Yeah,” Newsom agreed.
“I don’t even know where it came from. I’m like, what are people talking about?” Newsom recalled, speaking mockingly of his own party.
Newsom’s remarks were astonishing. Not only has he repeatedly used the term “Latinx” on social media, but his government website has used it dozens of times.
A Headline USA review of Google search results for the word “Latinx” on Newsom’s website showed multiple instances of its use.
Newsom proudly used the word on his X page as well. Notably, Newsom attacked the Republican Party in 2023 for opposing both “Latinx” and Critical Race Theory in classrooms.
In 2020, Newsom described Hispanics as “Latinx” to decry that COVID-19 reportedly impacted them disproportionately.
#COVID19 disproportionately impacts the Latinx community.
Rising rates in the Central Valley are concerning. CA is making $52M available to increase testing, contact tracing and quarantine efforts, and sending strike teams to 4 counties with increased cases and hospitalizations.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 27, 2020
Newsom’s government account has also used the word, using it in 2019 to report on child poverty within the Hispanic community.
In October 2020, Newsom described music pop star Becky G as a “global Latinx superstar and activist,” bragging about a partnership to “urge eligible Gen Zers, Millennials, Gen Xers & the Latinx community to vote in the upcoming election.”
He used it again in January 2020 to praise a non-profit: “The Latinx powered ‘Gameheads’ team created a video game that brings maternal power in Latinx households to the forefront of video game culture.”
Newsom’s sudden condemnation of the term comes as he tried to position himself—albeit unsuccessfully—as a moderate Democrat ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
