California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday accused President Donald Trump of directing the Justice Department to undertake a politically motivated investigation of him and his wife.
“Donald Trump isn’t just coming after me because of my mean tweets,” Newsom said in a video statement posted to X. “He’s coming after me because I am considering running for President.”
Federal law enforcement officers in Sacramento, California, have been conducting several investigations related to the governor, including into his wife, since 2025, a person familiar with the matter said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The person added that the investigations did not originate in Washington but in California.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, widely seen as a potential Democratic contender for the 2028 U.S. presidential election, has raised his national profile in recent years and acknowledged he is considering a White House bid.
The investigation involving his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, reportedly concerns tax matters linked to the California Partners Project, a nonprofit she co-founded to promote gender equity.
State records show the group has received donations from businesses with interests in California and has raised more than $4 million since 2020 with support from Newsom. The organization did not immediately comment, while the U.S. Justice Department also declined to comment.
Newsom Accuses Trump Of Personal Vendetta
Newsom said federal agents had in recent days been knocking on the doors of members of his family, friends and former employees demanding records and digging through years-old documents.
The investigations surrounding Newsom have expanded since Todd Blanche took over as acting attorney general, the governor said.
Speaking directly to Trump in the video, Newsom said: “You can subpoena my records. You can investigate me. You can harass me. Put my name on every and any enemy’s list you have, but leave my wife and family out of your personal vendetta.”
Years Of Political Conflict
Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump have frequently clashed over issues such as immigration, climate policy and federal intervention in California. Since returning to office, Trump’s Justice Department has launched investigations and brought charges against several figures viewed as political opponents, prompting accusations from critics that the administration is using federal agencies to target its adversaries.
(With inputs from Reuters)
