Democratic Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said on Saturday that President Trump lied about her on social media this weekend. Battling sinking approval ratings largely attached to affordability issues, and late on his campaign promises to reduce numerous costs for American consumers on “day one,” the President asserted that Spanberger was responsible for some of the consumer pain in Virginia — pointing at new food, beverage, and utility taxes purportedly hitting consumers.
Yet the bills proposing those taxes have not actually been passed by the legislature, nor signed by Spanberger.
[NOTE: Democratic lawmakers in the Virginia House have introduced new tax proposals this session, but none of the measures Trump mentioned have been passed by the legislature or reached Spanberger’s desk. The Virginia outlet WAVY reports of the unpassed bills: “House Bill 978 would add state sales and use taxes on a number of services ranging from delivery services to dry cleaning services. House Bill 979 would create new income tax brackets for higher earners in Virginia while increasing the standard deductions for all filers.”]
Spanberger, a former U.S. Congresswoman, responded to Trump’s accusations: “The President and his allies are talking about taxes that our state legislature never even voted on and I certainly didn’t sign. Why? Because if they don’t flood the zone with fake news about fake taxes, people might hear about the bills I am signing to lower energy costs, strengthen our schools, make housing more affordable, and bring billions of dollars of business investment to Virginia.”
The President lied about me today on social media. While he tries to distract from the soaring gas prices and economic worry he has caused, here’s what we are doing in Virginia.
I’ve signed dozens of bipartisan bills into law to address high housing, healthcare, and energy costs…
— Governor Abigail Spanberger (@GovernorVA) April 11, 2026
Political pundit Meghan McCain, daughter of the late GOP presidential nominee and Senator John McCain (R-AZ), replied to Spanberger: “You’re proposing a bill that would force working class people to pay for things like a leaf blower tax, gym membership tax, dog grooming tax, dry-cleaning tax and vehicle repair tax, JUST to name a few. You’re a radical marxist pretending to be a moderate soccer mom.”
You’re proposing a bill that would force working class people to pay for things like a leaf blower tax, gym membership tax, dog grooming tax, dry-cleaning tax and vehicle repair tax, JUST to name a few.
You’re a radical marxist pretending to be a moderate soccer mom. https://t.co/yEujUL8WDH
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) April 11, 2026
Former Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates Dr. David Ramadan replied to McCain: “C’mon, Meghan. You know better than this. It was a bill proposed by one of 100 members of the legislature. It never saw the light of day. It was killed and never made it to the @GovernorVA. If you dislike @SpanbergerForVA, just say so — you’re entitled to your opinion. But don’t use this lazy, silly argument. You’re smarter and better than this.”
C’mon, Meghan. You know better than this. It was a bill proposed by one of 100 members of the legislature. It never saw the light of day. It was killed and never made it to the @GovernorVA.
If you dislike @SpanbergerForVA, just say so — you’re entitled to your opinion. But don’t… https://t.co/bk776sCgXX
— Dr. David I. Ramadan (@DavidIRamadan) April 11, 2026