California Gov. Gavin Newsom disclosed Monday that federal investigators are scrutinizing him and his wife, alleging that President Donald Trump orchestrated the probe as political retaliation. Speaking on social media, Newsom said agents have interviewed family friends and former employees while demanding documents, all without discovering an underlying crime.
"He has directed his Department of Justice to investigate us," Newsom stated, referencing his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. He characterized the inquiry as an attempt to "find one" after investigators failed to uncover wrongdoing.
The governor portrayed his wife as a victim of Trump's vendetta. "If they can't intimidate me, they'll go after the mother of our children," he said, describing her as a public servant devoted to supporting women and girls. He insisted both he and his wife have nothing to hide.
The Justice Department declined to comment. The White House similarly referred inquiries to the department.
Newsom, a Democrat who has sparred with Trump over wildfire management, immigration, redistricting, and National Guard deployments, framed the investigation as payback for his criticism of the president and his potential presidential ambitions. He fired back at Trump's governance record, calling him "simply the most corrupt president in American history."
The probe appears to be one of several federal investigations targeting Trump's perceived political opponents. Former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Sen. Adam Schiff have all faced scrutiny that Trump publicly encouraged. All have denied wrongdoing.
According to sources familiar with the matter, investigators are examining Jennifer Siebel Newsom's taxes. The investigation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California, led by Eric Grant, rather than the Central District office. The focus of the probe into Newsom himself remains unclear.
The move follows Newsom's former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, pleading guilty to federal charges in a case from the same district last month.
In April, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters that it was "appropriate" for the president to direct investigations. This came after Trump had previously suggested that arresting Newsom "would be a great thing" during disputes over immigration enforcement in Los Angeles.
The administration also pursued an indictment against six sitting members of Congress over a military recruitment video, which Trump deemed "seditious behavior, punishable by death." That effort failed. Blanche took the attorney general position after Trump fired Pam Bondi in April, partly because she struggled to execute prosecutions of Trump's targets.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "This is Trump's playbook perfected, and Newsom knows the script well enough to call it out immediately, but the real question is whether the Justice Department can survive being turned into a scorecard of political revenge."
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