Newsom Says Trump Ordered DOJ Probe; Source Confirms Multiple Investigations Around Him
Gov. Gavin Newsom said the Justice Department is investigating him and his wife in a video he posted on his official site and X on Monday, June 15, 2026.[1]
Newsom said federal agents recently knocked on the doors of family, friends and former employees seeking documents and that he believes investigators are "trying to find" a crime rather than responding to one.[2] He accused President Donald Trump of ordering the probe to target a political rival as he considers a 2028 presidential run.[3] Newsom said the investigation also targets his wife, whom he described as having "done nothing wrong," and the White House declined to comment and referred questions to the Justice Department.[2]
In June 2025, amid protests in Los Angeles over federal immigration enforcement, President Trump publicly suggested that border czar Tom Homan should arrest Newsom. In January 2026, Trump posted on Truth Social that "The Fraud Investigation of California has begun," prompting Newsom's office to push back. A person familiar with the matter said multiple federal investigations into people around Newsom began in 2025 after whistleblower complaints in California, including one involving his wife's taxes.[1]
Early coverage amplified Newsom's charge that the Justice Department action was political retaliation.[2] But PBS reported that the probes began after state whistleblower complaints and said political leadership in Washington was not involved in opening them, a detail that complicates Newsom's claim that Mr. Trump directed the investigation.[1]
The mainstream summary suggests that the investigations into Gavin Newsom and his wife are politically motivated, as he claims they were ordered by Donald Trump. However, it omits the context that these federal probes reportedly began after whistleblower complaints in 2025, which complicates Newsom's assertion of direct political retaliation. For instance, @truthslayer highlights that these investigations are tied to prior indictments related to fraud, including that of Newsom's former chief of staff. This context raises questions about the legitimacy of the investigations, suggesting they may not be purely politically driven as Newsom alleges, but rather rooted in legal concerns over financial misconduct.
Moreover, while the mainstream account mentions Newsom's fundraising efforts in light of the DOJ probe, it does not delve into how he is leveraging this situation for political gain. @ccadelago reports that Newsom is actively fundraising for his Campaign for Democracy PAC amid the ongoing allegations, indicating a strategic response that may be aimed at rallying support rather than solely defending against the investigations. This aspect of the story underscores the complex interplay between political maneuvering and legal scrutiny, which is not fully captured in the mainstream narrative.
Show source details & analysis (4 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Monday, June 15, 2026, Gov. Gavin Newsom released a video on his official website and X saying the Justice Department is investigating him and his wife (Gov. Gavin Newsom).
- Newsom said that in recent days federal agents had knocked on the doors of family, friends and former employees seeking documents and said he believes investigators are “trying to find” a crime rather than responding to one (family, friends and former employees).
- He publicly accused President Donald Trump of directing the probe and framed it as retaliation for his criticism of Trump and because he is considering a 2028 presidential run (President Donald Trump).
- Newsom said the investigation also targets his wife, whom he described as having “done nothing wrong” aside from advocacy work, and he characterized the effort as an abuse of the grand jury process (his wife).
- A person familiar with the matter said there are multiple federal investigations into people around Newsom — including one involving his wife's taxes — that began in 2025 after whistleblower complaints in California, and that political leadership in Washington was not involved in opening the probes (one involving his wife's taxes).
- PBS noted these inquiries are among several Justice Department investigations targeting perceived Trump foes, including James Comey, Letitia James, John Brennan and Jerome Powell (James Comey, Letitia James, John Brennan and Jerome Powell).
- The White House declined to comment directly and referred questions about the matter to the Justice Department (The White House).
- CBS News carried Newsom’s remarks and independently amplified his public framing that the Justice Department probe is politically motivated (CBS News).
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Monday, June 15, 2026, in remarks carried by CBS News, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the Justice Department is investigating him and his wife.
- In the CBS segment, Newsom directly accused President Trump of using the Justice Department to target him because of his political ambitions.
- The CBS piece confirms and amplifies Newsom's public framing of the probe as politically motivated, aligning with but independently echoing earlier reports.
- On Monday, June 15, 2026, Newsom released a video on X alleging President Trump ordered the Justice Department to investigate him and his wife and that agents recently visited his friends and former employees seeking records.
- Newsom framed the alleged probe as retaliation for his criticism of Trump and because he is considering a 2028 presidential run.
- A person familiar with the matter said there are multiple federal investigations into people around Newsom, including one involving his wife's taxes, that began in 2025 after whistleblower complaints in California government.
- That source said political leadership in Washington was not involved in the decision to open the probes.
- The article notes these are among several Justice Department investigations targeting perceived Trump foes, including James Comey, Letitia James, John Brennan and Jerome Powell.
- On Monday, June 15, 2026, Gov. Gavin Newsom released a video on his official website and X account stating that the Justice Department is investigating him and his wife, Jennifer.
- Newsom said that in "recent days" federal agents have knocked on the doors of family, friends and former employees seeking documents related to him, and that he believes they are "trying to find" a crime rather than responding to one.
- He publicly accused President Donald Trump of directing the probe to target a political foe and said Trump is coming after him because he is considering a 2028 presidential run.
- Newsom said the investigation also targets his wife, whom he described as having "done nothing wrong" besides advocacy work, and characterized the effort as an abuse of the grand jury process.
- The White House declined to comment directly and referred questions about the matter to the Justice Department.