Federal investigators have examined finances tied to Jennifer Siebel Newsom as the governor alleges political retaliation.
SACRAMENTO, CA — Federal investigators are examining tax and nonprofit records tied to Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, as the governor accuses President Donald Trump’s Justice Department of targeting his family for political reasons.
The inquiry has drawn fresh attention because Newsom is a leading Democratic voice, a frequent Trump critic and a possible 2028 presidential contender. Newsom has not been charged with a crime, and no charge against Siebel Newsom has been announced. The Justice Department, FBI and U.S. attorney’s office have declined to publicly discuss the matter, leaving many details of the inquiry unclear.
Newsom said Monday that federal agents had recently contacted family friends, former employees and others close to him and his wife. In a video posted online, he said agents were “demanding records” and looking through years of documents. “Donald Trump isn’t just coming after me because of my mean tweets,” Newsom said. “He’s coming after me because I am considering running for president.” Newsom said the investigation appeared to have moved into personal matters involving his family, finances and professional circle. His office said agents had asked people connected to the couple about business dealings, records and organizations linked to Siebel Newsom.
A person familiar with the matter has said the federal inquiries include one related to Siebel Newsom’s taxes. Other reporting has described the focus as involving nonprofits connected to her and to the governor. Newsom’s office said it believes grand jury subpoenas were issued to financial institutions holding accounts for at least some entities tied to Siebel Newsom. The office said neither Newsom nor Siebel Newsom had received target letters, which often signal that charges could be near. Officials have not publicly identified a specific law they believe was broken. The White House referred questions to the Justice Department, and the department declined to comment. A person familiar with the matter has said the tax inquiry began in California in 2025 and did not originate with political leaders in Washington.
Siebel Newsom is a filmmaker and advocate who has worked through organizations focused on gender equity and media representation. She founded the Representation Project, a nonprofit tied to documentary films and public campaigns, and she serves on the board of California Partners Project, a nonprofit focused on women in leadership and gender equity. State records and nonprofit filings have drawn scrutiny because some donors to groups connected to the Newsoms have also had business before the state. The governor has solicited millions of dollars in so-called behested payments for California Partners Project since 2020. Those payments are legal under California law, but they are reported because elected officials request them from donors for charitable, government or civic purposes.
The federal attention also overlaps with a separate case involving Dana Williamson, a former Newsom chief of staff. Williamson pleaded guilty in May to fraud-related charges in a case that began during the Biden administration. Prosecutors accused her of taking part in a scheme involving campaign money connected to former federal Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Newsom has not been accused of wrongdoing in that case. A person familiar with the matter has said other federal inquiries involving people around Newsom have expanded since then. Newsom’s office has described the tax and nonprofit inquiry as a broad search for wrongdoing, while people familiar with the investigation have said it began with whistleblower complaints submitted in Sacramento.
Newsom’s office moved quickly to challenge the investigation in public. The governor’s legal team filed a public records request seeking Justice Department communications that mention Newsom or Siebel Newsom during Trump’s second term. David Sapp, Newsom’s chief legal adviser, also sent a letter to Justice Department leadership accusing federal officials of running a politically driven “fishing expedition.” Newsom said federal agents had contacted “dozens” of employees and associates, including donors, former staff, current staff and board members tied to organizations connected to the couple. His office said the questions appeared broad and did not reveal one clear theory of the case.
Siebel Newsom said in a statement that the investigation showed Trump had no clear limits in going after opponents. “There are clearly no boundaries to what Donald Trump will do to get his way or to challenge those who get in his way,” she said. Newsom, speaking directly to Trump in his video, said federal officials could subpoena his records and investigate him, but he told the president to leave his wife and family out of what he called a personal vendetta. The governor’s comments fit a wider political fight between California and the Trump administration over immigration, climate rules, transgender student-athletes, wildfire aid and other issues.
The next formal step is not clear. No public hearing has been scheduled, and the Justice Department has not confirmed the scope, targets or status of any investigation. Newsom’s records request and any future subpoenas could reveal more about what federal investigators are seeking. For now, the inquiry remains active but largely hidden from public view.
Author note: Last updated June 18, 2026.