California Governor Newsom Accuses Trump of Politically Motivated Probe
Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- California Governor Gavin Newsom accused U.S. President Donald Trump of weaponizing the Justice Department for a politically motivated investigation.
- Newsom stated federal agents are questioning his family, friends, and former staff, seeking old documents to find a crime.
- The governor suggested Trump is targeting him because he is considering a presidential run, calling the president corrupt.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of misusing the Justice Department to pursue a politically motivated investigation against him and his wife. Newsom revealed in a video posted on X that federal agents have recently approached family members, friends, and former employees, demanding old documents. He asserted that the agents are not looking for a crime but are trying to find one. The specific nature of the investigation remains unclear, and the White House and Justice Department have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Trump had previously stated in 2025 that he would support Newsom's arrest for allegedly obstructing immigration authorities in California. The two leaders have a history of mutual criticism, clashing over issues such as the president's deployment of National Guard troops to California, climate change, and pipeline construction. Newsom also indicated plans for California to pursue its own international health cooperation strategies after Trump withdrew from the World Health Organization.
This is not happening because the agents have found a crime, but because they are trying to find one.
Newsom stated that Trump's actions go beyond personal "mean tweets." He believes Trump is targeting him because he is considering a presidential candidacy. The Democratic governor characterized Trump as corrupt, calling the investigation another instance of the president abusing the justice system to target political opponents. Newsom cited the indictments of former FBI Director James Comey as a precedent.
Since Trump's return to the White House for a second term, his Justice Department has prosecuted several of the president's alleged political adversaries, including former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and former National Security Advisor John Bolton. The department has also initiated investigations into U.S. officials.
He is after me because I am considering running for president.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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