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 and accused President Donald Trump of ordering the probe in a video released Monday, June 15, 2026.[1]
He said federal agents recently knocked on the doors of family, friends and former employees seeking documents.[2] Newsom said investigators were "trying to find" a crime rather than responding to one and accused the Justice Department of abusing the grand jury process while saying his wife has "done nothing wrong" beyond advocacy.[3]
In June 2025, amid protests in Los Angeles over federal immigration enforcement, President Trump publicly suggested that border czar Tom Homan should arrest Gov. Gavin 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 told reporters 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, and that political leadership in Washington did not order the probes.[1]
Coverage shifted as details emerged: early reporting and Newsom's own statements emphasized his claim of a Trump-directed retaliation.[1] CBS carried his public accusations on television.[4] The White House declined to comment directly and referred questions about the matter to the Justice Department.[2]
The mainstream summary presents Newsom's assertion that Trump ordered the DOJ probe as a straightforward claim, but analyses suggest skepticism about its veracity. Politico highlights that the investigations into Newsom's circle began in 2025, predating Trump's alleged involvement, framing Newsom's accusations as a strategic maneuver to bolster his political standing ahead of the 2028 election rather than an established fact. This perspective indicates that the mainstream coverage may have accepted Newsom's narrative without sufficient scrutiny, particularly regarding the timing and origins of the investigations.
Furthermore, while the summary notes the existence of multiple investigations, it does not emphasize the implications of these probes for the Democratic Party's broader political strategy. City Journal critiques the Democratic leadership's reliance on accusations against Trump rather than presenting a cohesive policy agenda, suggesting that Newsom's approach could reflect a deeper disorganization within the party. This critical lens is absent from the mainstream summary, which focuses primarily on the allegations without addressing the potential ramifications for the Democratic Party's future direction.
Show source details & analysis (5 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 federal agents have 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 (federal agents).
- He publicly accused President Donald Trump of directing the probe to target a political foe and said the action is retaliation because he is considering a 2028 presidential run (President Donald Trump).
- A person familiar with the matter told reporters 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 (multiple federal investigations).
- That same source said political leadership in Washington was not involved in the decision to open the probes (political leadership in Washington).
- Newsom said the investigation also targets his wife, whom he described as having "done nothing wrong" beyond advocacy, and he accused the Justice Department of abusing "the grand jury process" (the grand jury process).
- The White House declined to comment directly on Newsom's allegation and referred questions to the Justice Department (The White House).
- PBS noted the Newsom-related probes are among several Justice Department investigations seen as targeting perceived Trump foes, including figures such as James Comey, Letitia James, John Brennan and Jerome Powell (James Comey).
📊 Analysis & Commentary (2)
"The author argues that Gov. Newsom’s public charge that Trump ordered a DOJ probe — whether true or not — is a strategically powerful move that nationalizes his profile for a 2028 run and spotlights the growing role of justice‑system controversies as central political weapons in the next presidential campaign."
"The City Journal commentary ("The Rudderless Democratic Party") criticizes Democrats — using Gov. Newsom's allegation that Trump ordered a DOJ probe as an example — arguing the party is leaderless and resorts to grievance and spectacle instead of a coherent governing agenda."
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Monday, June 15, 2026, CBS News aired a segment in which Gov. Gavin Newsom said the Justice Department has launched a federal investigation into him and his wife.
- Newsom told CBS he believes DOJ is abusing the grand jury process in connection with that investigation.
- CBS framed the development as an active DOJ probe of Newsom and his wife, adding broadcast confirmation of Newsom’s public allegation beyond prior print and online reports.
- 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.