California Governor Gavin Newsom has recently walked back his previous description of ICE activities as ‘state-sponsored terrorism.’ This shift in stance comes a week after the tragic death of Renee Good, a mother of three.

During an appearance on Ben Shapiro’s podcast on Thursday, Newsom addressed remarks made by his office on social media following Good’s death on January 7.

The controversial post had emphatically labeled the incident as ‘STATE. SPONSORED. TERRORISM.’

In his conversation with Newsom, Shapiro expressed concern, suggesting that such rhetoric only serves to exacerbate political tensions. He also noted his disagreement with the Trump administration’s portrayal of Good as a domestic terrorist.

“Our ICE officers are clearly not terrorists, and describing a tragic situation in this manner is not accurate,” Newsom conceded.

Newsom nodded along as Shapiro made his case.

‘Yep,’ he said. ‘Yeah, yeah I think that’s fair.’ 

Newsom has built up his national profile in part by adopting some of Donald Trump’s own brash social media tactics as he gears up for the next presidential race.

Newsom spoke with Ben Shapiroon his podcast on Thursday, when he was asked to address comments made to his office’s X account on the evening of Good’s death on January 7

Shapiro’s Daily Wire categorized Newsom’s comments on Thursday as ‘walking back’ his previous stance

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin slammed Newsom back in September 2025 for ‘fanning the flames of division, hatred and dehumanization of our law enforcement’

He was one of a handful of high-profile Democrats to come out swinging against the Trump administration after Good was shot dead by an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week.

He said ICE ‘has rampaged across America’ over the past year.

‘His administration has driven extremism and cruelty while discarding basic safeguards and accountability,’ he wrote. 

‘Now, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen is dead. Donald Trump owns this. His deliberate escalation of intimidation and chaos has consequences. His reckless crackdown must end.’

Shapiro’s Daily Wire categorized Newsom’s comments on Thursday as ‘walking back’ his previous stance.

Newsom also noted during the interview that he supports ‘comprehensive immigration reform,’ without delving too deeply into what that would entail.

California is a ‘sanctuary state’ and many of its largest cities are ‘sanctuary cities’ – a point which Newsom said makes them inherently safer, not less safe as Trump has long argued.

‘I think it’s important to establish, because it’s not well established, sanctuary jurisdictions have lower crime rates than non-sanctuary jurisdictions,’ he said.

‘STATE. SPONSORED. TERRORISM.,’ the post read after Good’s death

Protesters have been gathering across the nation to rail against ICE operations

Good’s death has sparked nationwide protests

‘So this notion that it somehow increases crime is also, I think, contradicted on the basis of the facts.’

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin slammed Newsom back in September 2025 for ‘fanning the flames of division, hatred and dehumanization of our law enforcement’ for signing a ‘No Secret Police Act’ which barred certain federal and local law enforcement agencies from wearing face masks.

‘At a time that ICE law enforcement faces a 1,000% increase in assaults and their family members are being doxxed and targeted, the sitting Governor of California signs unconstitutional legislation that strips law enforcement of protections in a disgusting, diabolical fundraising and PR stunt,’ she said. 

‘He signed this piece of legislation the same day his team made a menacing threat against Secretary Kristi Noem online. 

‘The violent rhetoric and demonization must stop. To be crystal clear: we will not abide by Newsom’s unconstitutional ban.’

Good, a 37-year-old mother-of-three, was shot three times in the face by ICE agent Jonathan Ross last week after she ignored demands to get out of her car, reversed it and tried to drive off during a protest. 

Witnesses said Good and her wife, Rebecca, were acting as legal observers and filming the protest. 

Almost immediately after the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Good’s actions as ‘an act of domestic terrorism’ as she defended Ross as an experienced law enforcement professional who followed his training.

She claimed he shot Good after he believed she was trying to run him or other agents over with her vehicle.

Her death has sparked nationwide protests and calls for ICE agents to be pulled out of sanctuary cities.