California Governor Gavin Newsom said Sunday that President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Justice to investigate him, accusing the administration of weaponizing federal law enforcement as part of a broader campaign of political retaliation against his opponents.
In a statement posted to social media, Newsom said that federal agents have knocked on the doors of his family, friends, and former employees, not because they found a crime, but because “they’re simply trying to find one.” He added that Trump’s campaign has recently reached his home seeking information about his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a public servant and advocate for women and girls.
“After calling for my arrest last year, Donald Trump directed his Department of Justice to investigate me,” Newsom said in the statement. “Just in the last week, I’ve learned that his campaign has reached my own home to get me. He’s coming after my wife, Jen.”
Newsom attributed the targeting to his political opposition to Trump and his potential 2028 presidential ambitions. “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,” he said.
A Pattern of Political Targeting
Newsom’s claims fit within a documented pattern of DOJ investigations targeting Trump’s political opponents. According to Protect Democracy, a nonprofit that tracks such actions, the Trump administration has targeted dozens of political opponents with criminal charges, with most cases failing. The organization’s tracker shows at least 31 entries as of mid-June 2026.
In his statement, Newsom cited a list of Trump administration targets, including former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Tish James, Representative Adam Schiff, and Vice President Tim Walz. He also referenced investigations into a woman whom a jury found Trump had sexually abused, referring to E. Jean Carroll.
“One by one, anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his hit list. And today, I proudly join that list,” Newsom said. The Guardian reported in March 2026 that experts said Trump had “succeeded in completely politicizing” the Justice Department, using it to punish his enemies. NBC News reported in February 2026 that Trump has used the Justice Department against political enemies “more than any administration in the department’s history,” according to legal experts.
Newsom also accused Trump of broader corruption, claiming the president is “selling the presidency” through foreign tariff relief for approval of his golf courses, day trading behind the Resolute Desk, and profiting through cryptocurrency ventures and private jet gifts from foreign governments. He said Trump’s personal fortune has skyrocketed by $4 billion since returning to office.
The California governor’s statement comes as the Trump administration faces legal challenges to its $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which a federal judge continued to block in June 2026. Newsom himself proposed a 100% tax on California residents who receive funds from the program, according to reporting from The Hill and other outlets in May 2026.
Sources
- California Governor Gavin Newsom — Statement posted June 15, 2026, describing DOJ investigation directed by Trump and targeting of his wife
- Protect Democracy — Tracker documenting 31+ cases of Trump administration targeting political opponents
- The Guardian — March 5, 2026 reporting on Trump’s politicization of the Justice Department
- NBC News — February 9, 2026 reporting on Trump’s use of DOJ against political enemies exceeding any prior administration
- The Hill — May 28, 2026 reporting on Newsom’s 100% tax proposal on Anti-Weaponization Fund recipients
