California Gov. Gavin Newsom (R) speaks as his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom (L) looks on during an election night meeting at the California Democrats headquarters on November 04, 2025 in Sacramento, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images
California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday accused President Donald Trump of ordering the Justice Department to investigate the Democrat and his wife.
Newsom said in a post on X that Trump was motivated to target the governor and Jennifer Siebel Newsom for an investigation because “I’m thinking about running for president.”
The governor did not say what he understood the DOJ to be investigating, or if he even knew what it was.
“One by one, anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his list,” Newsom said in a video statement. “And today, I’m joining that list with pride.”
“He commissioned his Department of Justice to investigate,” Newsom said. “They haven’t found a case yet – they’re trying to find one.”
“Donald Trump made the wrong choice. We have nothing to hide,” the governor said.
Newsom compared himself to other Trump foes who found themselves targeted by the DOJ in the president’s second White House scandal, including former FBI Director James Comey, former Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
The White House referred CNBC to the DOJ when asked for comment on Newsom’s allegations.
The DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Newsom’s statement comes a month after former chief of staff Dana Williamson, 53, pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, filing false tax returns, and making false statements to a government agent.
Newsom’s office said the charges against Williamson related to his conduct before he worked for him. The office said the DOJ offered him a deal after raiding his office for information about Newsom, but Williamson’s attorney said he had nothing to offer prosecutors because Newsom had not committed a crime.
Newsom, in his video statement, said federal agents in recent days have “knocked on the doors of family friends and former employees.”
“And last week, I learned that his campaign has come to my house: to pick me up, he’s going after my wife, Jen,” Newsom said. “A civil servant. A woman dedicated to supporting women and girls.”
Siebel Newsom is a documentary filmmaker.
Newsom said the DOJ is seeking records and “abusing the grand jury process” as part of the investigation.
“Donald Trump is not just following me because of my tweets,” Newsom said. “He will follow me because I am thinking of running for President.”
“Because he hates that I’ve been calling him out over and over again on his lies and deceit,” the governor said. “Donald Trump is the most corrupt President in American history.”
