California Governor Newsom says US Department of Justice investigating him and his wife

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat and a prominent critic of US President Donald Trump, said in a video posted on X on Monday that he and his wife are being investigated by the US Department of Justice.

Newsom claimed the investigation is politically motivated and that he is being targeted because he is considering a presidential run in 2028. He also said the investigation involves his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who runs a non-profit promoting women's equality.

The Department of Justice, now headed by Trump loyalist Todd Blanche, has not confirmed any investigation into Newsom. In his post, Newsom said: "Today, my wife & I joined Donald Trump's hit list." He added that investigators have not found a crime and that the couple has "nothing to hide."

The governor stated that federal agents have been seeking to interview his friends and former employees, "not because they found a crime, because they're trying to find one." Newsom accused the Department of Justice of "abusing the grand jury process" in trying to build a case against him and called Trump "the most corrupt president in American history."

Trump has repeatedly vowed to prosecute his political opponents. Since taking office in 2025, his administration has indicted or sought to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, former FBI Director James Comey, Senator Adam Schiff, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, all of whom have investigated or criticized Trump.

Trump has regularly attacked Newsom on social media, often referring to him as "Newscum." Last June, the president said Newsom should be arrested amid a standoff over immigration enforcement protests in California.

Newsom, who is term-limited and leaves office in January 2027, has adopted a similarly caustic approach online. Most recently, he posted a montage of Trump apparently sleeping during public events, writing: "80 is the new 100."