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Newsom taunts Trump with series of comments about president’s ties to Epstein amid efforts to avoid subject
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has made several comments in recent days pointing out President Donald Trump’s ties to deceased sex predator Jeffrey Epstein, as the president seeks to shut down questions about his administration’s refusal to release documents surrounding Epstein’s case and its claims that there is no «client list.»
Earlier this week, Newsom made an appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show, in which he was asked about Trump’s administration not releasing Epstein files after vowing during his campaign to release such documents.
«The whole thing has, to me, always been a side show,» Newsom said. «But I thought it got real interesting when Elon [Musk] put out that tweet and then all of a sudden a few weeks later, ‘what file?’»
Newsom was referring to a since-deleted post on X in which Musk said last month that Trump «is in the Epstein files» and that «is the real reason they have not been made public.» Musk, a former close ally of Trump before their recent spat, has since made several more posts criticizing the administration for not releasing any Epstein «client list» or making any arrests in connection to the Epstein case.
REPUBLICANS FIXATED ON EPSTEIN ARE GETTING ‘DUPED’ BY DEMOCRATS, TRUMP INSISTS
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has made several comments pointing out President Donald Trump’s ties to sex predator Jeffrey Epstein. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
«When Elon put that out, I thought it was a big tell,» Newsom said.
The California governor added that Trump and Epstein knew each other, citing the images and videos of the two men together.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said earlier this year that an Epstein «client list» was on her desk before the Justice Department and FBI recently claimed that Epstein killed himself and that there is no evidence he kept such a list. Bondi also walked back her earlier comments, saying she was referring to the Epstein case file, not a «client list.»
Trump has sought to avoid the Epstein topic as of late, repeatedly arguing the issue does not matter anymore. He also said he no longer wants the support of «weaklings» who continue to press the Epstein case.
«Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bulls—,’ hook, line, and sinker,» Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.
«I have had more success in 6 months than perhaps any President in our Country’s history, and all these people want to talk about, with strong prodding by the Fake News and the success starved Dems, is the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax,» he added. «Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore!»
Newsom noted that Trump and Epstein knew each other. (Rick Friedman/Rick Friedman Photography/Corbis via Getty Images)
Trump said at the White House on Wednesday that Bondi could release «whatever’s credible» related to the Epstein case as he defended her work on the matter and criticized Republicans who are still pushing for Epstein material to be released.
«He’s dead. He’s gone,» Trump said of Epstein. «And, all it is, is the Republicans, certain Republicans got duped by the Democrats, and they’re following a Democrat playbook and no different than Russia, Russia, Russia and all the other hoaxes.»
Newsom made a series of social media posts in recent days about Trump and Republicans declining to make information on the Epstein case public.
«Why try so hard to block a list that ‘doesn’t exist’…?» Newsom said on Tuesday, responding to news that House Republicans blocked an effort by Democrats to force the release of Epstein files.
The Golden State Democrat also wrote «Retweet» in reply to a 2019 post from conservative commentator Charlie Kirk calling on Trump in his first term to order an investigation into Epstein for sex trafficking.
In another post, the governor wrote that Trump «calls his base ‘bad people’» in response to a recent clip of the president saying he does not understand why the Epstein case would be of interest to anybody.
BONDI SHOULD RELEASE ‘CREDIBLE’ EPSTEIN FILES, TRUMP SAYS
Newsom made a series of social media posts about Trump and Republicans declining to make information on the Epstein case public. (Getty Images)
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«It’s pretty boring stuff,» Trump told reporters in the clip. «I think only bad people want to keep something like that going.»
Newsom jokingly said he forgot about the Epstein files in response to a post Trump made announcing that Coca-Cola agreed to use real cane sugar.
«Oh thank god! I’ve totally forgotten about the Epstein files now!» Newsom said on Wednesday.
The governor posted a clip later on Wednesday with a picture of Trump and Epstein together, along with lyrics from the Nickelback song «Photograph» that says «Look at this photograph.»
«Nickelback said it best,» Newsom wrote.
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California allocating $35M to support illegal immigrants amid Trump’s mass deportation agenda
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the allocation of $35 million in state funding to support illegal immigrants as the Trump administration carries out its massive deportation agenda.
Newsom’s office is releasing the money that the legislature set aside in the state budget to help philanthropic partners support immigrant families with food assistance and other resources, according to a press release.
These funds are on top of funds the state already allocated to provide legal resources to those facing deportation.
«While the federal government targets hardworking families, California stands with them – uniting partners and funding local communities to help support their neighbors,» Newsom said in the release. «The urgent need grows as the Trump Administration accelerates mass detention, tramples due process, and funds authoritarian enforcement with over $170 billion. As the Trump Administration chooses cruelty and chaos, California chooses community.»
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the allocation of $35 million in state funding to support illegal immigrants. (Tayfun Coskun/Getty Images)
A spokesperson for Newsom said he has been speaking with immigrant families and community leaders about the federal government’s immigration crackdown.
«People are afraid to leave their homes, afraid to go to school or work, and unable to afford groceries,» the spokesperson told CalMatters.
California allocated the money despite significant budget constraints, as Newsom’s office anticipates a $2.9 billion deficit in the coming budget year, according to CalMatters. The state also limited health care for illegal immigrants this year to help make up for a larger deficit last year.
«When federal actions create fear and instability, our responsibility is to show up for families. This investment strengthens local partners who are helping people access legal services and meet basic needs during an incredibly difficult moment,» Kim Johnson, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, said in the release.
Democrat state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, said the funding shows her party will «continue to stand in solidarity with our immigrant families.»
TRUMP TO CUT FEDERAL PAYMENTS TO SANCTUARY CITIES STARTING FEB. 1 OVER IMMIGRATION POLICIES
The legislature set aside money in the state budget to help philanthropic partners support immigrant families with food assistance and other resources. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
«The federal government is waging a war on our communities – and we won’t stand for it,» Gonzalez said. «We are putting money behind an effort to stop the fear, stop the separation of our families and stop violating our basic rights.»
Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, a Republican, blasted the funding as «absurd.»
«If you were audited by the IRS and found to owe money and back taxes, as a citizen, you couldn’t say, ‘Well, I want a free lawyer to fight the federal government,’» DeMaio told CalMatters.
President Donald Trump campaigned on a major immigration crackdown and has since followed through with that promise through mass deportations.
In June, Trump signed a budget bill that included $170 billion for immigration enforcement, detention and deportation, an investment that aims to remove up to 1 million immigrants from the U.S. per year over four years.
FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO HALT MORE THAN $10B IN FUNDING TO 5 STATES OVER NON-CITIZEN BENEFIT CONCERNS: REPORT
The funds are in addition to funds the state allocated to provide legal resources to migrants facing deportation. (Pool)
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California state funds set aside for immigration legal services prevent money from being used to help people with serious or violent felony convictions fight against deportations, CalMatters reported.
California laws do not block state corrections staff from moving illegal immigrants who have been convicted of serious or violent felonies to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.
«California will never be silent in the face of Trump’s cruel and unlawful immigration raids. We will meet fear and intimidation with courage and action,» Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas, a Democrat, said in the release.
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Iran president vows defiance as protests build against regime amid US military build up
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Anti-government protests are resurging across Iran, with videos showing students chanting slogans against the regime as nuclear negotiations with the United States are set to resume on Thursday.
A video translated by Reuters showed demonstrators shouting «We’ll fight, we’ll die, we’ll reclaim Iran,» reflecting growing anger towards the country’s leadership.
The renewed unrest follows months of frustration over economic hardship, repression and previous crackdowns, placing additional domestic pressure on the regime as talks unfold. Analysts say the convergence of protests at home, military pressure abroad and a stalled diplomatic track has hardened rhetoric on both sides rather than pushing them toward compromise.
Military members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in western Tehran, Iran. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The Iranian regime, meanwhile, is striking a defiant tone. President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would «not bow down» to pressure tied to nuclear negotiations, warning that external coercion would not change Iran’s stance, according to Al Jazeera.
His remarks come ahead of a new round of U.S.–Iran talks set for Thursday in Geneva, confirmed by Oman, which is mediating the discussions. The negotiations aim to address Tehran’s nuclear program amid rising regional tensions, though major disputes remain over enrichment limits, sanctions relief and the scope of any deal.
In a February speech analyzed by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled out abandoning uranium enrichment and rejected U.S. demands to include Iran’s ballistic missile program and regional proxy activity in negotiations.
The analysis, authored by FDD research analyst Janatan Sayeh and Iran Program Senior Director Behnam Ben Taleblu, noted that Khamenei has escalated attacks on Washington’s leadership, calling President Donald Trump a «criminal» for backing Iranian protests and circulating rhetoric likening him to a tyrant.
US POSITIONS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, STRIKE PLATFORMS ACROSS MIDDLE EAST AS IRAN TALKS SHIFT TO OMAN
An exercise aimed at assessing readiness and rehearsing responses to security threats comes during a second round of talks. ( Press Office of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the United States has expanded its military presence in the Middle East while signaling force remains an option. The deployments have shaped both the tone and urgency of the negotiations, reinforcing that diplomacy is unfolding under the shadow of potential escalation.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff warned Saturday that Iran could be «a week away» from having «industrial-grade bomb-making material,» citing enrichment levels he said are approaching weapons capability.
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Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addresses the public on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, according to Iranian state television in Tehran, Iran, on February 9, 2026. (Iranian Leader Press Office/Anadolu via Getty Images)
«It’s up to 60%,» Witkoff said. «They’re probably a week away from having industrial-grade bomb-making material.» He made the remarks on «My View with Lara Trump,» describing the situation as dangerous and accusing Iran of violating President Trump’s «zero enrichment» red line.
U.S. officials have warned that failure to reach an agreement could trigger serious consequences, while Tehran has signaled readiness to retaliate if attacked, reinforcing the sense that negotiations are taking place under intense pressure.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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