California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is once again placing himself at the center of the national political conversation, using claims that the Department of Justice is investigating him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, to argue that President Donald Trump sees him as a political threat.
After announcing Monday that federal authorities were scrutinizing both him and the first partner of California, Newsom quickly tied the matter to his national ambitions, declaring that Trump was “coming after me because I’m considering running for president.”
A day later, Newsom claimed in a follow-up post that “Trump’s DOJ is on a fishing expedition for a crime that doesn’t exist. The American people deserve to know who ordered this abuse of power, what they were looking for, and how far it goes. That’s why we’re demanding all communications involving top DOJ officials — emails, texts, memos, and even Signal messages — that reference me or my wife. We have nothing to hide. Do they?”
The episode offered a glimpse into a strategy Newsom has increasingly embraced as he prepares for a possible 2028 White House bid: portraying himself as Trump’s chief antagonist, someone leading the Democratic resistance. Rather than downplaying the controversy, Newsom appeared eager to frame it as political retaliation from a president targeting a possible rival.
“Gavin Newsom’s statement, whether true or not, keeps him at the top of every Democrat’s mind for a presidential candidate in 2028,” California-based political expert Matt Klink told the Washington Examiner. “It’s always helpful for a Democrat to claim that the evil Trump is investigating you.”
Klink added that it was “interesting, though, because the public usually hears that the federal government has launched an investigation against someone, not the other way around. Gavin Newsom’s announcement is atypical, but it does keep at the top of the news cycle. I’m sure if he is indicted, the impartial American justice system will presume his innocence, and he will get his day in court.”
Lauren Horwood, the public information officer, at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, told the Washington Examiner that “as a matter of policy, our office does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations.”
Newsom has spent years cultivating a national profile through public clashes with Trump and other Republicans, from immigration and environmental policy fights to his recent media appearances, podcast interviews, and high-profile battles with the White House. Newsom’s response to the allegations he’s being investigated seems to reflect a broader effort to remain in the national spotlight after leaving the governor’s office and to build a persecution narrative that has energized voters on both sides of the political aisle.
“Newsom is a supersmart politician who understands when he’s been given a gift, which Trump, stupidly, considers a threat that will sully Newsom’s reputation,” veteran political expert Garry South told the Washington Examiner. “To be singled out among the potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates just elevates Newsom among the possible contenders, and telegraphs to Democrats across the country that Trump and his MAGAts consider Newsom the leading threat to take back the White House in ‘28. Totally counterproductive on Trump’s part, but when has he ever been capable of considering the boomerang effect of his impulsive and vengeful actions?”
In a video posted on social media Monday, Newsom claimed that Trump “isn’t just coming after me because of my mean tweets.”
“He’s coming after me because I’m considering running for president,” he added. “To get me, he’s coming after my wife. 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.”
A source familiar with the investigations told the Washington Examiner that there were at least two inquiries involving individuals close to Newsom, including one concerning Sibel Newsom’s tax activities and another involving Dana Williamson, the governor’s former chief of staff, who was also a political adviser to Xavier Becerra, the Democratic candidate vying for Newsom’s seat. The investigations have been going on for more than a year.
Williamson pleaded guilty last month to three felony counts in a wide-ranging corruption case. She is central to a major political and financial scandal and was indicted on 23 federal counts and ultimately pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, subscribing to false tax returns, and lying to federal agents.
One of the felony charges Williamson admitted to involved lying to the FBI about information she obtained while working in Newsom’s office. In her plea agreement, she acknowledged sharing confidential details about a state lawsuit with a former business associate whose client was connected to the case, then misleading investigators when they questioned her about it.
The client is not identified in court documents, but the facts outlined in the case appear to correspond to California’s 2021 lawsuit against video game company Activision Blizzard. Before joining the Newsom administration, Williamson’s consulting firm had worked for the company.
The lawsuit drew additional attention in 2022 when Newsom removed the attorney leading the case, prompting criticism from some who argued the administration was interfering in the litigation.
GAVIN NEWSOM CLAIMS TRUMP DIRECTED DOJ TO INVESTIGATE HIM AND HIS WIFE
After Williamson was indicted last year, her attorney said federal investigators first contacted her during the Biden administration while she was still serving in Newsom’s office. According to her lawyer, agents asked whether she would assist in an investigation involving the governor. Williamson responded that she had no information to offer and had never witnessed Newsom engage in criminal conduct.
While Newsom has cast the investigation as evidence that the main Justice Department is “coming after” him, questions remain about that characterization. A source familiar with the investigations said they were not directed by the Department of Justice headquarters and are understood to have originated from whistleblowers and sources within California’s state government who communicated with local federal prosecutors.
Political strategist James Christopher told the Washington Examiner that while it was smart of Newsom to “recognize that conflict with Trump can create instant national visibility,” he warned Democrats have to be careful about Trump fatigue among voters who want a forward-looking agenda.
“Trump has spent decades massaging the media and pulling opponents into his vacuum, and Newsom must stay savvy,” he said. “It is walking a tightrope by using the bully pulpit as a governor and national Democratic figure without allowing Trump to define the terms of his 2028 identity. Turning this into a Trump-versus-Newsom showdown may elevate him in the short term, but the larger test is whether Newsom can convert that attention into a substantive case for leadership beyond opposition to Trump. If Newsom lets every controversy become a proxy war with Trump, he risks looking reactive rather than presidential.”
The Washington Examiner’s Kaelan Deese contributed to this article.