Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom, criticized Donald Trump after the U.S. women’s hockey team declined his invitation to the State of the Union address on Monday, February 23.
“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal–winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” a USA Hockey spokesperson confirmed in a statement to NBC News.
Trump extended the invitation during a phone call with the U.S. men’s hockey team, joking he would “probably be impeached” if he did not invite the women’s team as well. The women’s team declined the invitation shortly after winning Olympic gold against Canada.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom took to X and expressed her thoughts. “Clearly they prefer arenas where women are actually respected!” she wrote. “As they should.”
Clearly they prefer arenas where women are actually respected!
As they should. 👏 pic.twitter.com/oDMoJdKItl
— Jennifer Siebel Newsom (@JenSiebelNewsom) February 23, 2026
Trump commented on inviting the women’s team during a celebratory phone call with the men’s team after their Olympic win. FBI Director Kash Patel facilitated the call while in Milan with the team following their victory over Canada.
Videos showed Patel drinking beer and participating in locker-room celebrations, despite the FBI’s statement that the trip was official business and “not a personal trip.”
“I just told my people 10 minutes ago, we’re giving the State of the Union speech on Tuesday night,” Trump said, adding that he wanted to “send a military plane or something” to bring them to the venue.
“I think if I didn’t do that, I do believe I probably would be impeached,” he added. Players on the call were heard laughing.
Jennifer has been a longtime advocate for women’s rights and directed the 2011 documentary “Miss Representation”, which showcased how women are portrayed in positions of power. She is also the founder and CEO of Girls Club Entertainment, a production company focused on female-driven stories.
Happy Benito Bowl! pic.twitter.com/uHPe5THtoe
— Jennifer Siebel Newsom (@JenSiebelNewsom) February 9, 2026
Ahead of the midterm elections, Jennifer Siebel Newsom has been a strong supporter of her husband, Gavin Newsom. She graduated from Stanford with degrees in Latin American studies, human biology, and business.
The former actress worked in entertainment before becoming a producer and director of social impact documentaries, including the Oscar-nominated ‘The Invisible War’.
Jennifer and Gavin Newsom tied the knot in July 2008 and share four children. Gavin Newsom was previously married to former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle. However, the couple split after Newsom allegedly had an affair with a staffer, according to The List.
Gavin Newsom has also been a vocal critic of the MAGA Party. In July 2025, during a candid interview on “The Shawn Ryan Show,” he criticized Trump’s policies and personal conduct. The conversation began with Newsom expressing his appreciation for California, but quickly shifted to the President’s immigration policy and actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The 79-year-old reportedly portrayed Los Angeles as “under siege” and accused it of trying to “wreck” California by deploying thousands of National Guard troops. He further complained that Trump often mocks him by calling him “Newscum,” a nickname that has affected his children’s social lives.
🚨 Trump just DROPPED the hammer on Gavin Newsom!
Calling him a “Lame Duck” governor of a “Failing State,” embarrassing America at Davos, begging for foreign attention while California burns (literally), and wasting billions on that epic high-speed rail disaster… pic.twitter.com/JOYvQA8vX8
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) January 23, 2026
“That’s what I don’t like about this son of a b–tch. I don’t,” Newsom suddenly said, before quickly adding, “Forgive me. I know he’s the president of the United States.”
Deportations in California increased from 895 cases in June 2025 to 1,723 in September 2025. Several anti-ICE protests have taken place in Texas, Portland, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.
Minnesota and Illinois have filed lawsuits seeking court injunctions to halt immigration enforcement operations in their states. In their lawsuits, the states argued that DHS and ICE agents have “terrorized” communities and violated constitutional rights.
