In his new memoir, Gavin Newsom describes an awkward moment involving Donald Trump and Tom Brady. The incident happened in 2018 during a flight on Marine One. Newsom was the Lieutenant Governor of California at the time. He was traveling with Trump, Jared Kushner, and Jerry Brown to see the damage from the Camp Fire.
Feb 06, 2005; Jacksonville, FL, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is interviewed by Terry Bradshaw (left) after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX at Alltel Stadium. The Patriots won the game 24-21. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Feb 06, 2005; Jacksonville, FL, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is interviewed by Terry Bradshaw (left) after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX at Alltel Stadium. The Patriots won the game 24-21. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports
During the flight, Trump begantalking about Tom Brady. He told the group that the famous quarterback had once asked for Ivanka Trump’s phone number. Trump said he gave the number to Brady. However, Ivanka did not want to date him. She told her father she was already in love with Jared Kushner.
“The quarterback asked for her number, and Trump gave it to him,” Newsom stated as perNew York Post. “Brady called Ivanka and left a message, but she never called him back. Soon after, Brady related the snub to Trump, who then called his daughter.”
Trump was reportedly unhappy with this choice. He shared his frustration with Newsom while Kushner sat right there. Trump asked, “Jesus, you know, Tom Brady. What the hell is going on? Why aren’t you calling this guy back?” He wanted his daughter to choose the star athlete over the man she eventually married.
The memoir describes how Trump compared the two men. Trump looked at Newsom and said, “Not even close, right, Gavin? Tom Brady. Tom Brady.” He then insulted Kushner directly. Trump called his own son-in-law “some schmuck whose father just got out of prison.” This was a reference to Charles Kushner, who had served time in federal prison.
Newsom noted that Kushner did not seem angry. Instead, Kushner stayed quiet for a moment. He then responded to Trump with a small smile. Kushner said, “Yes, sir. I know I wasn’t your first choice.” Newsom felt this exchange was meant to make Kushner feel small in front of other powerful people.
The story highlights the difficult relationship between Trump and his son-in-law. Even though Kushner was a senior White House advisor, Trump often criticized him. Newsom used this story to show how Trump treated the people closest to him. He described the atmosphere in the helicopter as very uncomfortable.
Tom Brady clarifies truth about the rumor
Tom Brady has consistently denied that he and Ivanka Trump ever had a romantic relationship, stating in an April 2020 interview on The Howard Stern Show that “there was never that, where we ever dated or anything like that”.
Brady described the speculation as being from “a long time ago” in his life and noted that Donald Trump never personally suggested the match to him.
Ivanka’s mother, Ivana Trump,wrote in her 2017 book Raising Trump that while Donald wanted the two to meet, Ivanka “wasn’t into it”. Jared Kushner also noted in his 2022 memoir that Trump occasionally teased him by claiming Brady was a “friend” who was also interested in Ivanka.
Ultimately, both parties moved on in 2009; Tom Brady married supermodel Gisele Bündchen, from whom he divorced in 2022, and Ivanka Trump married Jared Kushner.
This account is one of many stories in Newsom’s book, titled “Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery.” Released on February 24, 2026, the memoir focuses on Newsom’s career and his interactions with national leaders.
It provides a rare look at how the former president spoke in private settings. The book is currently a major topic of discussion in American politics.