California Gov. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly used his office’s press account on X to skewer the Trump administration, often using a satirical voice that mimics the President’s bombastic social media style.
But Newsom’s press account was more sedate this week when it responded to claims by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, whose Justice Department has been actively investigating Medicare and Medicaid fraud in California, Minnesota, and elsewhere.
Alleging that Newsom has been negligent in policing the system, essentially enabling the fraud, Blanche also portrayed California as a drag on the federal government, saying in a Fox interview that California receives more federal dollars than any other state. “There’s more money being spent in California from the federal government than any other place in this country, and the fraud is extraordinary,” Blanche said.
Newsom’s office conceded the first point, without addressing the fraud, and added a population comparison to explain the reason for the federal spending. “California’s population is the size of 21 states combined,” the account responded, “perhaps that’s why there are more federal dollars spent here.”
Fun fact for the interim AG, California’s population is the size of 21 states combined … perhaps that’s why there are more federal dollars spent here. Just a thought!
Also … https://t.co/5RL1f9xkGP pic.twitter.com/EccrnhUAPC
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) May 28, 2026
In addition to the population boast, Newsom’s office adds that California pays more into the federal government than any other state, and that its contribution is larger than the funds it receives.
[NOTE: This claim receives blowback from many MAGA commenters, who note that states themselves don’t pay taxes to the federal government, but that individual Californians and California-based businesses are the taxpayers Newsom is referencing.]
Both the federal government and California have been pursuing health care fraudsters in the state. In March, the DOJ announced that “the owner of two California-based hospice companies, along with his biller and consultant, were sentenced yesterday for their respective roles in a scheme that resulted in stealing over $9 million from Medicare in false and fraudulent claims for hospice services.”
In April, a press release from Newsom’s government reported that “California Attorney General Rob Bonta, together with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), today announced charges filed against 21 suspects and the dismantling of a major hospice fraud scheme that defrauded California of $267 million.”