Governor Gavin Newsom of California is not holding back. In a fresh round of political commentary, he's taking direct aim at two of the most prominent figures seen as potential future leaders of the Republican Party, accusing them of a profound lack of authenticity.

On Wednesday, Newsom took to social media platform X to call Senator Marco Rubio a "complete fraud." But he saved his sharper critique for Vice President JD Vance, whom he said "scares me" more than other figures in Donald Trump's orbit. In an interview clip he shared from MSNBC's The Briefing with Jen Psaki, Newsom described Vance as a "unique fraud and phony" who "put a mask on his face and grew into it."

The core of Newsom's argument is about political conversion. He points out that both Rubio and Vance were once vocal critics of Trump before becoming some of his most aligned supporters. To Newsom, this isn't a change of heart; it's opportunism. He suggested the powerful donors and allies surrounding Vance reflect a worldview he labeled as "nihilism."

This isn't just about name-calling. Newsom is peering into the future of the MAGA movement, suggesting a behind-the-scenes competition is already shaping who will lead it next. He acknowledges, however, that for now, Trump himself "maintains control over who rises within his political circle."

Speaking of the future, Trump has already signaled his thoughts. He has said Vance is "most likely" to carry the MAGA torch forward and even floated a potential future presidential ticket featuring Vance and Rubio. For his own part, Trump said it was too early to name a 2028 successor and added he would "probably not" seek a third term due to constitutional limits—a statement that itself shapes the succession conversation.

While politicians debate the movement's future, an economist is warning about the potential real-world impact on a key part of Trump's base. Paul Krugman said last year that small businesses struggled under Trump's proposed second-term policies. He described 2025 as a "miserable" year and warned 2026 would be worse, pointing to policies like tariffs and strict immigration enforcement as major pressures.

And the movement isn't a monolith, even from within. Former Trump adviser Anthony Scaramucci has publicly questioned Trump's commitment to MAGA's core ideology. Scaramucci argues Trump aligns more with wealthy backers than with the movement's figures and prioritizes personal gain and attention over party doctrine, underscoring the internal divisions that exist even as outsiders like Newsom critique its rising stars.

So what's really happening here? You have a Democratic governor trying to frame the opposition's next generation as inauthentic. You have the former president anointing heirs. You have an economist warning of policy consequences for the base, and a former insider questioning the boss's loyalty to the cause. It's a messy, multi-front battle over narrative, legacy, and power—all happening while everyone insists they know what the future holds.