Keywords: Trump Newsom Davos, Trump Davos backstage, Gavin Newsom Davos, World Economic Forum Davos, Trump Newsom feud, political hypocrisy, 2026 politics, Davos controversy, Trump speech Davos, Newsom criticism

If you only watched political TV, you’d think Donald Trump and Gavin Newsom are locked in a never-ending cage match, sponsored by cable news and bad decisions. One day it’s insults, the next it’s outrage, and somehow we all still pay taxes.

But then this happened: they were reportedly friendly backstage at Davos. Laughing. Bantering. Smiling. The whole “public enemies” thing started looking a lot like a very expensive improv bit.

According to reporting summarized by The Daily Beast, journalist Mark Halperin described a backstage moment before Trump’s Davos appearance where Trump and Newsom engaged in what can only be described as unexpected bonhomie. Not “they stood near each other” friendly. More like “two guys who aren’t supposed to like each other but absolutely do” friendly.

What Allegedly Went Down Backstage at Davos

• It was private and backstage, before Trump’s appearance.
• The tone was described as affable, with mutual laughter.
• Trump reportedly leaned into his “charming” mode (yes, that exists, apparently).
• Newsom was described as giving Trump some light “s—t” in a joking way.

If you’re thinking, “Wait… isn’t Newsom supposed to be the guy publicly dunking on Trump?” Yes. That’s why this story matters.

The Real Story: Public Politics vs Private Politics

Here’s the thing the cameras never show you: a lot of political conflict is branding. It’s performance. It’s professional wrestling with better lighting and worse hair.

Publicly, Trump and Newsom do the usual: name-calling, truth-socialing, speeches, outrage cycles, fundraising emails. Privately, the reports suggest the vibe was… fine.

That’s why people get cynical. Not because they “hate politics.” Because they hate feeling played. You can’t sell “this person is an existential threat” and then laugh it up backstage like it’s a networking mixer.

Why Davos Makes Everything Weirder

Davos is where powerful people gather to talk about the world while being chauffeured around the world’s most expensive ice sculpture. It’s already a vibe problem.

So when a headline pops up saying Trump and Newsom were friendly backstage at the World Economic Forum, it doesn’t just sound surprising, it sounds like the mask slipped.

So… What Happens Now?

Nothing. Seriously. The machine keeps moving. They’ll keep attacking each other in public. Their bases will keep cheering. And behind the scenes, everyone will keep doing what politicians do best: survive and advance.

But for anyone watching from the outside, this is a reminder: the loudest political fights are often the ones designed to be loud.

Listen to the Full Breakdown on the Anthony On Air Podcast

We went deep on this story in the episode, including why Davos makes political hypocrisy basically unavoidable. If you want the jokes and the context, hit the show:

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Source: The Daily Beast report