Some Republicans are panicking that a DOJ probe into Gavin Newsom could backfire on President Donald Trump and hand the California governor a “massive political boost.”
Newsom, 58, revealed that he and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, had become the latest target of Trump’s revenge campaign. In a post on X, he painted a probe by the Justice Department as politically motivated, and accused Trump, 80, of going after him “because I am considering running for President” in 2028.
Hours later, he emailed supporters seeking donations to his Campaign for Democracy political action committee, saying the funds would help him fight back with “a legal strategy and a political strategy.”
“Because I am thinking of running for president,” the subject line read.
Several Republicans told Politico that the investigation risks handing the California governor a renewed platform to position himself as Trump’s chief Democratic antagonist.
“This is 100 percent beneficial to Gavin Newsom,” Republican Assemblymember Greg Wallis told Politico. “This is a Gavin Newsom political master class, per usual. No substance, all headlines, and it’s brilliant. The guy’s good at that.”
Newsom hasn’t elaborated on the reason for the probe. However, according to the New York Times, former employees of Newsom and individuals affiliated with nonprofit organizations connected to Siebel Newsom were among those questioned by federal agents. Newsom’s aides said multiple people associated with the governor and his wife had been contacted in recent days.
The Trump administration has not publicly commented on the investigation.
Republicans interviewed by Politico warned that Newsom had seized control of the narrative by making the probe public himself.
One Republican strategist said Newsom has created a “massive own goal for Republicans.”
“Newsom thrives on the attention and is nothing if not a savvy operator — give him an inch and he’ll take a mile,” the strategist told Politico. “This allows him to reassert himself on the national stage as Resister-in-Chief and turn Trump attacks into more small-dollar donations from Dems across the country, adding to a national infrastructure few of his 2028 rivals can match.”
The dispute comes amid a long-running public feud between Trump and Newsom. Since Trump’s return to office, Newsom has emerged as one of the administration’s most vocal critics, clashing with the president over many of his policies. Trump, meanwhile, has frequently targeted the governor in public remarks and social media posts, often referring to him as “Newscum.”
“Gavin Newsom is the biggest threat to Trump’s legacy and MAGA — that’s why he’s targeted so aggressively every day by the White House, Fox News, and the entire MAGA machine," Izzy Gardon, a Newsom spokesperson, told media outlets in a statement. “No one gets the kind of treatment he gets.”
Previously reached for comment, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Daily Beast in a statement: “Gavin Newscum is the worst governor in America, and he also may be the dumbest.
“President Trump’s sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats and other lunatics like Newscum intentionally covered up Joe Biden’s serious mental and physical decline from the American people,” the spokesperson added.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House, Newsom, and the Justice Department, for additional comment.
