California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday accused US 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 have been conducting several investigations related to Newsom, including one involving his wife, since 2025, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.The person said the investigations originated in California rather than Washington.
The White House referred questions to the Justice Department, which declined to comment.
Newsom said federal agents had in recent days been knocking on the door of members of his family, friends, and former employees, demanding records and digging through years-old documents.
Newsom, who is frequently mentioned as a potential Democratic candidate in the 2028 presidential election, has increased his national profile in recent months, visited early primary states, and said he would “be lying” if he claimed he was not considering a White House run.
“Not because they found a crime. Because they are simply trying to find one,” he said.
Newsom said the investigations surrounding him had expanded since Todd Blanche became acting attorney general.
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.”
According to a person familiar with the matter, the investigation involving Jennifer Siebel Newsom relates to her taxes and to a nonprofit organization she co-founded that promotes gender equity. The nonprofit California Partners Project has received donations from some individuals and organizations that do business with the state, while Gavin Newsom has solicited more than $4 million for the group since 2020, according to state disclosures.
Representatives of the California Partners Project did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump and Newsom frequently clas on major issues
Newsom and Trump have long been critical of each other, clashing on major issues including climate change, pipelines, and the Republican president’s deployment of National Guard troops to the state last summer.
Last year, Trump said he would support Newsom being arrested over his alleged obstruction of immigration enforcement in California.
In November, federal prosecutors charged Newsom’s former chief of staff for actions that occurred before she joined his administration. She pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.
Since Trump returned to office for a second term, his Justice Department has targeted several of the president’s perceived political enemies with criminal prosecution, pursuing criminal charges against former FBI director James Comey, New York state Attorney General Letitia James, and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.
The department has also opened investigations into US officials who concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential election to boost Trump’s first campaign, Democratic lawmakers who urged US military personnel to refuse unlawful orders and liberal donors and fundraising groups.
A tally by Reuters published in November 2025 revealed at least 470 people, organizations and institutions had been targeted for retribution since the beginning of Trump’s second term.
Source:
www.jpost.com
