California Gov. Gavin Newsom releases long-awaited tax returns

Gov. Gavin Newsom released years of long-awaited tax returns Friday after waiting until the final day of his self-imposed deadline.

The filings showing that he and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom earned between $1.7 million and $2 million annually from 2022 through 2024 while paying roughly half a million dollars a year in federal and state taxes, according to an Associated Press review of the returns.

The governor’s office released more than 700 pages of tax filings spanning four years, allowing select reporters to view but not make copies of the returns. The disclosure ended weeks of questions over why Newsom had stopped publicly releasing his tax returns after tax year 2020 despite repeatedly promising to disclose them annually while serving as governor.

According to the AP, Newsom’s income remained relatively consistent throughout the period. His roughly $200,000 annual gubernatorial salary accounted for only a fraction of the family’s earnings, with most of the income coming from winery, restaurant and hospitality businesses that he placed into a blind trust after taking office. The returns reportedly do not identify which individual businesses generated profits or losses.

The AP also reported that Siebel Newsom’s production company, Girls Club Entertainment, lost money in most years, while the couple donated roughly $40,000 to $65,000 annually to charity, along with thousands of dollars’ worth of clothing and household goods. The returns show they also spent between $14,000 and $44,000 a year on childcare for three of their four children.

Newsom’s office did not release returns for tax year 2025 because the couple filed for an extension and expects to complete those returns in October.

Earlier this month, Newsom’s office told The Post that “the remaining returns will be shared this month,” and spokesperson Izzy Gardon confirmed Thursday they would be released Friday.

The governor’s office had repeatedly insisted there was nothing unusual in the filings.

“They’re unremarkable and entirely consistent with what Californians already know from his annual Form 700 disclosures,” spokesperson Diana Crofts-Pelayo previously told The Post.

“The governor publicly released his tax returns while he was on the ballot and is happy to go above and beyond by releasing the remaining years as well.”

The returns attracted heightened attention after Newsom disclosed last month that he and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom are subjects of a federal investigation, which the governor has described as politically motivated.

A source previously told The Post that one federal inquiry is examining Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s taxes.

Federal investigators also separately investigated Newsom’s former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, who pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, filing a false tax return and lying to the FBI. Williamson is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 17.

Newsom has accused the Trump administration of weaponizing the Justice Department against a likely 2028 presidential contender.

The governor has long argued elected officials should publicly disclose their finances. During his successful 2018 gubernatorial campaign, Newsom released multiple years of tax returns dating back to 2011. After taking office, he signed a 2019 law requiring candidates for governor to publicly disclose five years of federal income tax returns before appearing on California’s primary election ballot. He also pledged to continue releasing his own returns annually while in office.

Until Friday, however, he had not publicly released tax returns covering years after 2020.

Newsom himself appeared surprised earlier this month that the newer returns had not already been released when asked about them by The Post.

“I know you love taxes,” the governor joked before pivoting to criticize President Donald Trump.

When reminded that he had often contrasted himself with Trump on financial transparency, Newsom insisted he had released his taxes “for decades.”

“And you will have all those new tax returns, because — I have no reason why you haven’t gotten them already,” he said.

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