California governor says Trump is using DOJ to investigate him

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a stark message Monday to President Donald Trump, claiming the nation’s executive is hunting for damaging information on the governor because he’s considering a run for the White House.

Delivering his remarks over video, Newsom said the Trump administration has reached out to family, friends and former employees in an attempt to find evidence of criminality. Newsom, who is term-limited and will leave office in January, said federal agents are scouring records about the governor — not only because of “mean tweets” but because Newsom is thinking about running for president.

Newsom added later Monday that he’d filed a Freedom of Information Act request about the investigation, seeking communications like emails and texts between federal officials in what he called a politically motivated probe.

“Donald Trump is simply the most corrupt president in history,” Newsom said, adding the president rewards his cronies and tries to jail opponents.

“Ask Jerome Powell,” Newsom said of the former chair of the Federal Reserve, who the Justice Department investigated over renovation costs to the Fed’s office. “He sent them after James Comey.”

A former FBI head, Comey posted an image on Instagram showing the numbers “86 47,” which authorities have claimed was a threat to Trump.

Noting Trump called for his arrest last year, Newsom claimed Trump’s efforts have reached his own home and wife — Jennifer Siebel Newsom, whom the governor said has done nothing wrong.

“If he can’t intimidate me, he’ll go after the mother of our children,” Newsom said.

Newsom listed a litany of other abuses, laying them at Trump’s feet. The governor said Trump has sold the presidency, trading foreign tariff relief for approval of his overseas golf courses. Trump’s taken advantage of the cryptocurrency market and accepted a $400 million jet from a foreign power, which he intend to keep after leaving office.

Trump hawks Bibles, phones and sneakers, Newsom said, pointing to the Ultimate Fighting Championship event held Sunday, Trump’s birthday, at the White House.

“Tonight it was used to promote a company the president owns stock in, sell subscriptions, promote corporate sponsors, push Trump crypto, and enrich the President and his family,” Newsom posted Sunday on X. “The founders warned us about kings enriching themselves from public office.”

Now, Trump is seeking to subpoena records and harass Newsom, the governor claimed.

“Leave my wife and family out of your personal vendetta,” Newsom added.

“To Donald Trump, this country does not belong to you,” the governor added. “It does not belong to your cronies.

“Come after me. I’m not going anywhere.”

California and Trump have butted heads since the latter retook the White House last year. The verbal battles have ranged from federalizing the state’s National Guard to combat immigration protests in Los Angeles to the need for guardrails on artificial intelligence.

California’s Justice Department has filed dozens of suits against the Trump administration since January 2025. Legal battles include the state’s claim that the federal government failed to implement a key part of the Clean Air Act.

Trump has even woven his way into the state’s budget process. Democrats claim the Big Beautiful Bill has pulled federal funding from essential healthcare programs, leading the state to backfill them with its own dollars.

“They have not found a crime,” Newsom posted Monday on X. “They are simply trying to find one.

“The country is watching,” he added.

Chiming in on X, U.S. Representative James Gallagher, elevated from the California Assembly after the June 2 election, said the investigation was no witch hunt.

“It’s about abuse of power in pushing donors and groups with government business/contracts to give to his wife’s non-profit,” said Gallagher, a Republican. “This has been called out in the past; it’s just finally being investigated.”