Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of Gavin Newsom, abruptly shifted the focus of a Wednesday press conference, using the platform to admonish reporters over what she framed as President Donald Trump’s alleged “war on women.”
Rather than sticking to the event’s primary subject, she scolded members of the press corps — many of them women — for not pressing harder on that narrative. She suggested they were missing an opportunity and failing to sufficiently challenge the administration on the issue.
“I find it incredulous that we have Planned Parenthood here, and women are 51 percent of the population, and the majority of these questions, all of these questions have been about other issues,” Siebel Newsom said. “So it’s just fascinating, you’ve got this incredible Women’s Caucus and all these allies, and you’re not asking about it. And this happens, over and over and over and over again. You wonder why we have such a horrific war on women in this country and that these guys are getting away with it. Because you guys don’t seem to care.”
“So I just offer that, with love,” she added. “You have incredible women in this room, and you have these allies. Ask about what we’re here for today! Don’t you think?”
What an insufferable scold.
Ashley Zavala, a reporter with KCRA 3 News, sharply criticized Siebel Newsom for “scolding journalists for not asking the questions she was hoping to hear.” Zavala pointed out that while Gavin Newsom had just signed legislation directing $90 million in state grants to Planned Parenthood, formal press conferences remain one of the few occasions when reporters can question him directly.
Because of that limited access, she explained, journalists often use those brief windows to raise broader issues — even if they fall outside the immediate subject of the event.
Siebel Newsom has openly celebrated her position as California’s First Partner, describing it as an “incredible platform” for advancing her policy and cultural priorities.
She currently leads two nonprofit organizations — The Representation Project and California Partners Project — which focus on issues including what she describes as toxic masculinity, gender norms, and equal pay initiatives.
Beyond her advocacy work, she has also built a notable social media presence. There, she frequently shares self-care messaging and lifestyle content, encouraging fellow “empaths” to manage political division through personal wellness practices such as walking, eating well, and getting adequate sleep.
And, of course, she gets the opportunity to show her backside and lecture people whenever they appear to her to be coloring outside the lines.
You have to wonder what Gavin was thinking.