Newsom says Trump administration is investigating him and his wife

California Governor Gavin Newsom said Monday night that the Justice Department has opened an investigation into him and his wife, and accused President Donald Trump of using federal power again to target critics and rivals. Newsom, a longtime Trump opponent and a leading possible Democratic presidential contender in 2028, said the probe is meant to undermine his chances of reaching the White House in about two and a half years.

In a video posted on X, Newsom said federal agents knocked on doors of friends and former staff members and asked for documents. He did not specify the investigation, but his office said it appeared to have expanded recently into matters that were increasingly personal and involved his family and professional circle. Newsom said, "One by one, everyone who challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his kill list, and today I proudly join that list."

An informed source told AP there is no current probe aimed specifically at Newsom, but there are several federal investigations involving people around him, including one tied to tax payments by his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. A law enforcement source told Reuters that the case relates to California Partners Project, a nonprofit co-founded by Siebel Newsom that promotes gender equality. The group has received donations from people doing business in California, and Newsom has helped raise more than $4 million for it since 2020.

Newsom also said officials recently escalated their harassment by serving document subpoenas and contacting people connected to him and his wife about business, money, and personal matters. His office accused the Justice Department of looking for a crime that does not exist. Siebel Newsom said the investigation shows Trump is unfit for office, saying there are no limits to what he will do to get his way.

The article also notes that under Trump, the Justice Department has pursued or charged a number of his political enemies, including James Comey, Letitia James, John Brennan, John Bolton and Jerome Powell. Newsom has clashed with Trump over California policy fights, redistricting, immigration enforcement, transgender athletes, and disaster aid, and he recently said it would be a lie to claim he is not considering a presidential run.