Newsom Calls Israel 'Sort of an Apartheid State,' Says U.S. Aid Must Be Reconsidered

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a leading Democratic contender for the 2028 presidential race, called Israel 'sort of an apartheid state' on Tuesday and said the U.S. has 'no choice but to reconsider' its military and financial support for the country. The remarks represent Newsom's sharpest public criticism of Israel to date and signal a broader shift in Democratic Party sentiment as the Iran-Israel-US conflict escalates. The statement comes as U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran draw growing international criticism over their scope and civilian toll.