Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday that the US Department of Justice is investigating him and his family in an explosive social media post.
Newsom said that federal investigators are looking into the activities of the governor, his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and family members as an act of political retaliation as the leader of California weighs a run for president after terming out of office at the beginning of next year.
“In recent days, federal agents have knocked on the doors of family, friends, and former employees, not because they found a crime, because they’re simply trying to find one,” Newsom said in a video posted to X.
“They’re demanding records, they’re abusing the grand jury process, digging through years and years of random documents. Donald Trump isn’t just coming after me because of my mean tweets, he’s coming after me because I’m considering running for president, because he hates that I’ve consistently called him out over and over again for his lies and deceit.”
Newsom accused President Trump of directing the DoJ to investigate him and his family in an act of alleged political retaliation.
Newsom added, “Donald Trump is simply the most corrupt president in American history.”
Officials for the White House declined The Post’s request for comment, deferring to officials at the Department of Justice.
Matt Klink, a political strategist in Los Angeles who is owner and president of Klink Campaigns, said that Newsom’s decision to come forward gives him “added street cred in the Democratic Party.”
“Typically, the way the federal government works is they announce they’re investigating you and if the investigation closes, no one says anything,” Klink said.
“Gavin Newsom is trying to do the opposite — he’s saying he is being investigated and the federal government is being quiet. It keeps him at the center of, ‘I’m fighting Trump and Trump is out to get me.’”
Klink added, “It’s idle speculation until the Justice Department or the FBI confirms if there is any there, there.”
Newsom also accused Trump of using the federal government to reward allies and target political foes.
“He’s turned the levers of government into his own personal power ministries to reward cronies and to try to jail his opponents,” Newsom said.
The California Democrat said Trump’s “personal attorney now runs the Department of Justice,” which he claimed has “repeatedly gone after his political enemies.”
“Ask Jerome Powell, sent them after James Comey, Tisch James Adam Schiff, he sent them after Tim Walz and a woman that a jury found Donald Trump had sexually abused,” Newsom said.
“One by one, anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his hit list. And today I proudly join that list,” he added.
Newsom said Trump had targeted him after “calling for my arrest last year.”
“Donald Trump directed his Department of Justice to investigate me, and just in the last week I’ve learned that his campaign has reached my own home to get me,” Newsom said.
The governor said Trump was also targeting Siebel Newsom, a documentary filmmaker and gender equity advocate who serves as California’s first partner.
“He’s coming after my wife, Jen, a public servant, a woman who’s dedicated her life to supporting women and girls, someone who has done nothing wrong other than having the temerity to advocate for what she believes in,” Newsom said.
“If they can’t intimidate me, they’ll go after the mother of our children. Donald Trump picked the wrong target. We have nothing to hide,” he added.
Newsom said Trump’s “political operatives can take every record and read every page,” but said they “will be looking in the wrong place.”
“Because if they really want to find corruption, look no further than 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.,” Newsom said.
Newsom then accused Trump of using the presidency for personal financial gain.
“Donald Trump is selling the presidency. He’s running the largest cash heist in American political history, trading foreign tariff relief for approval of his golf courses, day trading behind the Resolute Desk, reaping hundreds of millions of dollars in personal profit,” Newsom said.
“And he’s doing it openly, he’s doing it on camera. He did it last night on the White House lawn. He’s doing it through crypto currencies, he’s doing it through the receipt of a $400 million private jet from a foreign government that he plans to keep when he leaves office through his son’s ventures in countries where his own administration is simultaneously making policy. His personal fortune has skyrocketed by $4 billion since making his return to office,” Newsom said.
“This is the behavior of a regime, not a republic,” he added.
Newsom, who is widely seen as a potential 2028 White House contender, has increasingly positioned himself as one of Trump’s most aggressive Democratic foils, frequently using social media and national television appearances to attack the president and his administration.
The governor is termed out of office in January and has not formally announced a presidential campaign.
Newsom accused Trump of turning the White House into “a marketplace” and said access, influence and justice are “for sale.”
“The White House has become a marketplace for sneakers and coins and watches, cologne, guitars, Bibles, and phones, influence for sale, access for sale, and today my family and I can personally confirm that justice is for sale to Donald Trump,” Newsom said.
The governor then addressed Trump directly, saying he knows the president is watching.
“I have a message for you. You can subpoena my records, you can investigate me, you can harass me, put my name on every and any enemies list you have, but leave my wife and family out of your personal vendetta,” Newsom said.
Newsom also addressed his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
“I’d like to say something to my wife. These times are not normal, they’re not ordinary. I love you, and I’m sorry he’s doing this. You have not earned a single one of the indignities that he’s trying to inflict on you and our children,” Newsom said.
The governor then returned his ire on the president.
“And to Donald Trump, this country, this country does not belong to you, does not belong to your cronies, and we’re going to fight your lawlessness, and we’re going to continue to remind the people of this country of your corruption, that same corruption our founders warned us against as we move to celebrate our 250th anniversary,” Newsom said.
“I’m going to keep reminding Americans of what they warned would happen if a man with no character ever held the office of presidency. So, let me say it again, Mr. President, come after me. I’m not going anywhere, and the country is watching.”
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
