California Gov. Gavin Newsom is once again clashing with President Donald Trump, this time over a federal criminal investigation into international travel taken during the governor's tenure and the nonprofit organization that helped pay for those trips.
According to reporting by the San Francisco Standard, federal prosecutors issued a series of subpoenas in early September seeking records from the California State Protocol Foundation, a nonprofit that raises private donations to cover gubernatorial travel expenses and ceremonial state functions. The subpoenas also seek testimony and communications involving Newsom, current and former aides, advisers and associates.
The latest development marks another escalation in the long-running feud between
Newsom and Trump, two political rivals who have repeatedly sparred over immigration, climate policy, federal disaster response, California's economy and the governor's increasingly visible national profile.
Why are federal prosecutors investigating Gavin Newsom's travel records?
The subpoenas reportedly request records and information tied to an ongoing criminal inquiry and were signed by Michael D. Anderson, chief of the Criminal Division for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of California.
Among the names listed in the subpoenas are Rebecca Prowda, Newsom's director of protocol and the wife of San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, and Steve Kawa, a longtime Newsom ally who earlier this year became chief technology officer for the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
Public records show Kawa previously served as chief and director of the California State Protocol Foundation.
Federal officials have not publicly disclosed the specific criminal allegations they are examining.
Gavin Newsom calls federal investigation a politically motivated attack
The investigation continues a Justice Department inquiry that became public in June.
At the time, Newsom said federal agents had subpoenaed records and interviewed people connected to both him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, over activities spanning several years. The governor accused the Trump administration of directing federal investigators to search for evidence of an unspecified crime.
In a statement issued after the latest subpoenas became public, Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos described the investigation as a "baseless MAGA conspiracy theory" and accused Trump of using federal law enforcement to target political opponents.
"Governor Newsom went after the king and, as he warned in June, the tyrant is now coming after everyone around him," Gallegos said. "This is what Donald Trump does to his enemies: investigate first, hunt for a crime that doesn't exist second."
Gallegos also said it was unfair that staff members, friends and family members were being drawn into the investigation because of their association with the governor.
What is the California State Protocol Foundation and how does it fund governor travel?
Although federal authorities are scrutinizing the organization, the California State Protocol Foundation has operated for decades as a mechanism to pay for gubernatorial travel and ceremonial activities without relying on taxpayer funds.
The nonprofit was established in 2002 by then-Gov. Gray Davis as the Golden State Host Foundation before being renamed under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004.
The foundation reports donations to federal authorities and maintains a searchable public database of contributors. Supporters argue the arrangement allows governors to represent California on international trips and diplomatic missions without passing travel costs on to taxpayers.
"We are not able to discuss any investigations at present, but the Protocol Foundation will continue its work, defraying costs from taxpayers while representing all Californians," attorney Lily Becker said in a statement provided to the Los Angeles Times.
Which Gavin Newsom trips are being examined by federal investigators?
Public records show the foundation has helped cover costs for numerous state and international trips during Newsom's administration.
Among the most expensive was a 2024 trip that included attendance at the Vatican Climate Summit and the inauguration of Mexico's president. Records show Newsom expensed roughly $248,758 in travel costs associated with the visit.
The subpoenas indicate federal investigators are examining records connected to some of those travel activities, though authorities have not publicly detailed which trips are at the center of the inquiry.
What the federal probe could mean for Newsom's political future
The investigation arrives as Newsom enters the final stretch of his governorship and faces growing speculation about a potential 2028 presidential campaign. Widely viewed as a leading Democratic contender, Newsom has increasingly positioned himself as one of Trump's most outspoken critics.
That political backdrop has heightened scrutiny around the federal probe, with Newsom portraying it as retaliation from a political adversary and federal investigators continuing to seek documents and testimony related to nonprofit-funded travel.
For now, the investigation remains ongoing, and federal prosecutors have not publicly accused Newsom or his wife of any wrongdoing. However, the expanding subpoena requests suggest the inquiry remains active, ensuring another chapter in one of America's most high-profile political rivalries.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Federal probe targets Gavin Newsom travel records, aides and nonprofit
