Xavier Becerra teaches KTLA reporter about doing a ‘profile,’ not a ‘gotcha’ interview

California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra is drawing fire from critics over his interview with a local reporter about whether he was indulging in a “gotcha piece.”

Becerra, who is considered the leading Democratic candidate in California’s primary following the exit of disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell, sat down with KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos as part of the station’s series of interviews with the race’s hotshots.

However, in an interview that aired on Tuesday, Becerra appeared to be trying to set terms with the reporter.

“Besides, this is a profile clip. This is not a gotcha clip, is it?” Becerra started.

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“Look, I think these questions are right. To learn about you as a candidate,” Ramos replied.

“As long as it’s about the profile,” Becerra said twice down.

“I don’t know how you define a profile, but I would like to start an interview,” Ramos replied.

“The way I define a profile is that you talk about all the things I’ve done, the things I want to do — and the hard questions, but not just the hard questions,” Becerra said.

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In fact, Becerra faced tough questions — including how he would deal with homelessness and his record as the Biden-era Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, saying in particular that his agency lost track of more than 85,000 immigrant children who entered the country illegally.

Becerra is widely seen as the front-runner for the Democratic Alliance in California’s first congressional district. (Drew Anger/Getty Images)

Ramos later told his KTLA colleagues that he was “shocked” by Becerra’s comments, saying his experience was “very different” from his roommates.

“For it to start like this before I ask a question… it’s about asking some of the tough questions sometimes but allowing our viewers to get to know each person,” Ramos said. “So that’s why not only me but also our editors and executive producers here at KTLA decided to include that part in this clip.”

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KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos said she was “struck” by Becerra’s words to her earlier in the interview. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Becerra’s behavior was widely shared on social media.

“A man tells a young woman how to do his job, this was just posted on KTLA Los Angeles. Dude it’s 2026,” said Democratic Alliance strategist Michael Trujillo.

“Politicians and elected officials…let your staff have these heated conversations! Or at least not on camera!” Pod Save America podcast host Tommy Vietor asked.

“This is no surprise to anyone who has ever covered Becerra. He once raised his fingers in the sign of the cross to dismiss me, as if I were a vampire, after a piece that accurately described his attempt to bring down Pelosi and the Prog Caucus over the public option of the ACA,” NBC News reporter Jonathan Allen wrote, referring to the 201man conrasgress.

“How come Fauci is the face of Biden’s response to COVID and not HHS secretary? We may never know,” Semafor reporter David Weigel joked.

Some drew comparisons to Democratic gubernatorial contender Katie Porter, who had a similar exchange last year with CBS California reporter Julie Watts, telling her she didn’t want to have an “unpleasant experience” and threatening to walk out of the interview because of the follow-up questions she received.

The Becerra campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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