Hunter Biden Jokes About Vice-Presidential Slot on Gavin Newsom’s 2028 Ticket

In a June 4, 2026 teaser for Governor Gavin Newsom’s podcast *This Is Gavin Newsom*, Newsom introduced his guest as “Presidential candidate Hunter Biden.” Biden replied, “Here’s the deal. I’ll run, but only as your VP because the vice-president’s residence is a lot cooler.” The clip was posted on X; full episode will be released on YouTube next morning.

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The exchange follows former President Donald Trump’s Oval Office remarks that Hunter Biden “could do well” in a 2028 race, linking the comment to Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner’s scandal. Trump added, “the past is not the greatest.” Platner, the Democratic nominee for the Maine Senate, faces accusations of toxic relationships and a reported Nazi-tattoo, fueling debate about privacy standards in modern campaigns.

Newsweek

Newsom described the podcast as a learning project, telling Politico, “I’m doing this selfishly because I want to learn. I want to get better in life, not just politics. And if I’m better in life, I’ll be better in politics.” Trump’s Oval Office comment emphasized the perceived impact of a candidate’s past on electoral prospects, reinforcing the relevance of the Biden-Newsom dialogue.

New York Post

Commentators mocked Newsom’s decision to host Biden, calling the episode “a whole lotta crack on one podcast” and questioning whether Biden would discuss his past drug use. Democratic insiders warned that Biden’s renewed visibility could distract from Newsom’s own 2028 ambitions and potentially harm the party’s image.

New York Post

Sources differ on the exact amount of Biden’s outstanding debts, with figures ranging from $15 million to $17 million for legal fees and additional obligations to former associates. Reports also vary on the legal status of his 2024 gun-purchase conviction, some emphasizing presidential pardon while others focus on original charge. Source reliability scores range from 31.8 to 39.0, indicating moderate confidence.

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• “You've got the president of the United States, Donald Trump, talking about your candidacy for president of the United States,” — Gavin Newsom, Governor of California

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• “You would think that the past has something to do with winning an election, and I would say his past is not the greatest.” — Donald Trump, former President

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• “Here's the deal. I'll run, but only as your VP because the truth of the matter is that the vice president's residence is a lot cooler. It's a lot easier job, too.” — Hunter Biden

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• “I always say to people, show me your phone. Give me access to your iCloud. Let's go through it and pull everything that we can that is inappropriate, that is off-color, that selfie that you took when you're drunk off your ass,” — Hunter Biden

Newsweek

The full episode of *This Is Gavin Newsom* will be posted on YouTube on June 5, 2026. Observers will monitor whether the dialogue influences speculation about a joint 2028 ticket or alters the broader narrative surrounding the Democratic Party’s 2028 strategy.

New York Post