PALO ALTO, CA - APRIL 21: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (C) looks at a computer screen with Facebook employees while touring the Facebook headquarters April 21, 2009 in Palo Alto, California. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, announced today in a Twitter message that he is officially running for governor of California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Sacramento, California – California Governor Gavin Newsom has unveiled a new website aimed at countering misinformation targeting the Golden State — and himself — from conservative influencers, anonymous X accounts, and even former President Donald Trump.
The site, CaliforniaFacts.com, is the latest expansion of Newsom’s growing campaign to counter what he calls a “disinformation machine” targeting California’s reputation, leadership, and policies. The initiative is funded by his political action committee, Campaign for Democracy, and is part of a broader effort to control the narrative heading into the 2028 presidential cycle, in which Newsom is seen as a potential contender.
“This site is for everyone sick of the BS about California,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re done letting the MAGA trolls define the Golden State. We’re going on the offense and fighting back — with facts.”
Already, the site debunks widely shared falsehoods, including the persistent claim that stealing goods under $950 is legal in California — a misunderstanding of Proposition 47 that has gone viral on X. Another post calls out “Libs of TikTok” for falsely claiming that the state’s reservoirs had run dry during Los Angeles’ recent wildfires.
CaliforniaFacts.com builds on Newsom’s previous digital efforts, including a fact-checking site launched during the LA fire crisis and his recently started podcast, which he uses to confront misinformation directly and amplify Democratic messaging. The new site takes a broader approach, defending California’s economy, immigration policies, and public safety record while soliciting donations for both recovery efforts and political outreach.
Newsom’s communications team is also increasingly aggressive on X (formerly Twitter), responding in real-time to viral posts and engaging directly with conservative figures and influencers like Elon Musk and Trump.
“We’re living in a new world of disinformation,” said Newsom campaign spokesperson Nathan Click. “And Governor Newsom has been on the front lines of fighting it — first with the fires, and now against a whole slew of lies being launched by the far right.”
The effort highlights Newsom’s frustration with what he sees as Democrats’ historical inability to compete in conservative media ecosystems. His response: meet the message machine head-on, on every platform.
“If your online algorithms have ever led you into the far-right internet,” Newsom wrote in a fundraising email this week, “you know it is a fact-free environment filled with conspiracy theories and disinformation. Stay vigilant.”
