California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded to criticisms made by actress Halle Berry, who recently took him to task for vetoing a state menopause bill.
Berry slammed Newsom while giving a speech on Wednesday at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, noting that he would not be governor forever and that he probably should become the next president in 2028.
“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:
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) December 4, 2025
"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
Berry’s comments went viral on social media, with many users sharing the footage. Newsom has not yet announced his intention to seek the presidency in 2028, but many have speculated that he is gearing up for a presidential run.
Newsom’s spokesperson issued a statement on Wednesday saying he looks forward to collaborating with Berry on the bill and said he previously vetoed it because it would have “unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women and working famillies already stretched thin.”
TMZ caught up with the governor at Newark International Airport in New Jersey on Thursday and asked him about Berry’s comments. Newsom told the outlet that his team has been in contact with Berry’s manage and that they are “reconciling this.” He told the reporter that Berry was not aware that the menopause bill was already placed in the budget for the next year when she made her comments on Wednesday.
Newsom said he planned to announce the bill in January.
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 aims to expand menopause and perimenopause care in California’s health care system. It would require health insurance companies to provide comprehensive coverage for menopause-related care, including common symptoms and hormone therapy.
The bill will also direct the state’s Medical board to create a menopause-specific curriculum while requiring doctors to complete continuin medical education focused on treating women in menopause.
In other words, it’s just another big government program aimed at making it appear that California’s government cares about women.