California Gov. Gavin Newsom tried to brush off criticism from actress Halle Berry after she blasted him for vetoing a state menopause bill. Berry took aim at Newsom during her appearance at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit on Wednesday, warning that he won’t be governor forever — and even suggesting he shouldn’t become president either.
“Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one, but two years in a row,” Berry said. “But that’s okay, because he’s not going to be governor forever, and the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us, he probably should not be our next president either. Just saying.”
Actress Halle Berry slammed Gov. Newsom for 'overlooking' and 'devaluing' half the population by vetoing a menopause bill she backed—twice:
"That's okay, because he's not going to be governor forever, and the way he has overlooked women—half the population—by devaluing us, he… pic.twitter.com/12S9tGm7uQ
— Julia ?? (@Jules31415) December 4, 2025
Ouch.
Berry’s remarks lit up social media, with the clip spreading quickly as users weighed in. Newsom hasn’t announced a 2028 presidential run, but plenty of people have speculated he’s positioning himself — so her comments only added fuel to that fire.
In response, Newsom’s spokesperson put out a statement claiming he “looks forward to working with Berry” on the bill and insisting his veto was merely because it would have “unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women and working families already stretched thin.”
TMZ caught up with Newsom at Newark International Airport on Thursday and pressed him about Berry’s critique. Newsom said his team had already spoken with Berry’s manager and that they were “reconciling this.” He insisted Berry simply didn’t know the menopause bill had been quietly slipped into next year’s budget when she criticized him.
Sure.
Despite having killed menopause care legislation in California two years in a row, Gavin Newsom wants you to believe he has already been working it into next year‘s budget and has absolutely nothing to do with being savagely called out by Halle Berry… pic.twitter.com/yXn0WluM3m
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) December 5, 2025
AB 432 would dramatically expand menopause and perimenopause coverage within California’s already bloated health-care system. It would force insurance companies to provide extensive coverage for menopause-related care — everything from common symptoms to hormone therapy — regardless of cost.
The bill also orders the state Medical Board to create a menopause-specific curriculum and requires doctors to complete new continuing-education mandates focused on treating women in menopause.
In other words, it’s yet another big-government program designed to make it look like Sacramento is “championing women,” while in reality it piles on regulations, drives up costs, and gives politicians one more talking point to parade around.
