Newsom responds to Halle Berry saying he shouldn’t be president
California Governor Gavin Newsom responded to actress Halle Berry’s criticism regarding his veto of menopause-related legislation, Assembly Bill 432, which would have mandated insurance coverage for menopause care and promoted medical training on the subject. Berry, speaking at the New York Times DealBook Summit, condemned Newsom for repeatedly vetoing the bill and suggested that his overlooking women’s health issues disqualified him from being president. Newsom stated he is “reconciling” with Berry, noting that he had included the bill in the next year’s budget and was in contact with her manager to resolve the disagreement. His office explained that the vetoes aimed to avoid unintended increases in healthcare costs for working women and families. Newsom has also expressed interest in possibly running for president after his governorship ends in 2027. meanwhile, the FDA has recently taken steps to ease access to hormone therapies for menopause.
Gavin Newsom pushes back on Halle Berry’s claim that ‘he should not be president’
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) said he’s “reconciling” with actress Halle Berry after she criticized him for vetoing menopause-related legislation in the state.
While walking through Newark Liberty International Airport, TMZ asked Newsom about Berry’s comments. The California governor said people “didn’t know” he was in the process of “fixing” Assembly Bill 432.
“We’re reconciling this,” Newsom said. “I’ve included it in the budget next year, and she didn’t know that.” Newsom said he was in contact with Berry’s manager and that they had “the ability” to reconcile the disagreement.
The Oscar-winning actress spoke on Wednesday at the New York Times DealBook Summit in New York City, arguing Newsom “overlooked women” and therefore should not be president. Berry criticized Newsom during her remarks after praising Illinois for becoming, as she described, “the first state to mandate coverage for” hormone replacement therapy.
“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. But that’s OK, because he’s not going to be governor forever,” Berry said. “And with the way he’s overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us in midlife, he probably should not be our next president either, just saying.”
Berry has advocated menopause health in recent years, even launching her own menopause care company, Respin Health, in February.
Newsom told CBS News last month that he would consider running for president after the 2026 midterm elections. “Yeah, I’d be lying otherwise,” he said when asked if he would give serious thought about running. “I’d just be lying. And I’m not — I can’t do that.” Newsom’s term ends in January 2027, and he has reached his term limit
The Democratic governor vetoed the Menopause Care Equity Act in 2024 and 2025, after bipartisan lawmakers passed the legislation. The act would have required insurance coverage for menopause and perimenopause symptoms while also incentivizing training about menopause for physicians and in medical schools.
The Food and Drug Administration made advancements in menopause care in November when the agency announced it would deregulate hormone therapies for menopause patients by telling manufacturers to remove black box warnings from their products.
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Prior to Newsom’s remarks at the airport, a spokesperson for the governor said he vetoed the bill because it would have “unintentionally” raised healthcare costs for women.
“The Governor has deep admiration for Ms. Berry’s advocacy and looks forward to working with her and other stakeholders on this critical issue. He shares her goal of expanding access to menopause care that too many women struggle to get,” the spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times. “[AB 432] would have unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women and working families already stretched thin — something he’s determined to avoid.”
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