California Governor Gavin Newsom has publicly alleged that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and a former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, citing the probe as a political response to his outspoken criticism of former President Donald Trump.
In a video released on Monday, Newsom claimed that federal agents had been knocking on the doors of family, friends and former employees—not because they found evidence of wrongdoing, but because “they’re simply trying to find one.” He described the scrutiny as a deliberate tactic to intimidate him.
The governor, who has hinted at a 2028 presidential run, said the investigation was a form of political persecution: “One by one, anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his hit list and today, I proudly joined that list.” He accused the president of corruption and suggested that the DOJ's focus on his wife was an attempt to undermine his future ambitions.
According to an anonymous source familiar with the case, several investigations have been ongoing for roughly a year, all originating from California and proceeding through whistleblowers and government sources. The DOJ team handling the cases includes one centered on the wife’s tax filings and another on the former chief of staff, although the specific staff member remains unnamed. Newsom has not indicated which aides are under scrutiny.
Newsom has framed the probe as an abuse of the grand jury process and demands for records, a claim that the DOJ has not addressed publicly. The White House likewise declined to comment.
The situation echoes a series of high-profile investigations that have targeted prominent Trump critics in the past: federal prosecutors have brought charges against former FBI Director James Comey, was involved in targeting New York Attorney General Letitia James, and once considered probing former Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. The DOJ's pursuit of political adversaries has raised broader concerns about the politicization of federal investigations.
Newsom’s allegations come as his political profile grows and his social media presence challenges Trump’s messaging. He has satirized the former president’s use of caps lock on Twitter and pushed for redrawing California’s congressional districts—opposing Trump’s push for new maps in multiple states.
