It appears a feud has emerged between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz. It began after Dr. Oz shared a video addressing medical fraud in Los Angeles on the social media platform X.
The California governor pushed back against the Trump administration official and called the move “unbelievable” on his account, sparking a feud between them. Dr. Oz shared a video of himself discussing fraud, waste, and abuse in Los Angeles, claiming it has become an “epicenter” for such activity.
If you thought the fraud was out of control in Minnesota, wait until you learn about what’s happening in California.@USAttyEssayli pic.twitter.com/ek2XOTA22X
— DrOzCMS (@DrOzCMS) January 26, 2026
He also shared an unverified statistic claiming that there have been $3.5 billion in medical fraud claims in California. According to the official website, there has been a sharp increase in medical fraud cases, however, the amount cited by Dr. Oz is unconfirmed.
Dr. Oz wrote on X, “If you thought the fraud was out of control in Minnesota, wait until you hear about what’s happening in California.” He continued by pointing to an alleged sevenfold increase in hospice care in Los Angeles County.
Dr. Oz claimed the increase in fraud was due to foreign influences. He further added that these influences usually “tend to be” Russian or Armenian nationals who are part of either the mafia or criminal gangs.
The administrator also detailed how these foreign influences have contributed to fraud. Dr. Oz explained, “They have been able to corrupt and work with doctors who are willing to lie…To use that M.D. Degree as a license to kill.”
Dr. Oz went on to say that the president and his administration are committed to curbing medical fraud and will not allow taxpayer money to be stolen. It did not take long for Newsom to respond to the claims made in the video through his press team.
UNBELIEVABLE.
Dr. Oz is taking a victory lap for anti-fraud work that was already underway BEFORE Trump even took office.
California cracked down years ago — Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law BANNING all new hospice licenses in 2021 to curb fraud.
What’s Trump doing? Making… https://t.co/0ARZ5meWNi
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 26, 2026
Newsom slammed Dr. Oz and accused him of taking credit for something Newsom addressed two years ago. The California governor explained, “Dr. Oz is taking a victory lap for anti-fraud work that was already underway BEFORE Trump even took office.”
The governor pointed to the time he banned new hospice licenses in 2021 to reportedly curb fraud. Newsom had signed a bill that year titled “Hospice Licensure: moratorium on new licenses” into law.
In his post on X, Newsom questioned the Trump administration in the wake of Dr. Oz’s recent video addressing fraud in Los Angeles County and efforts to curb it. He also delivered a savage one-liner aimed at the POTUS and Dr. Oz.
HAHAHAHAHA. Donald Trump is a deranged, habitual liar whose relationship with reality ended years ago.
This is not complicated. He spends his days posting whatever garbage his shriveled little brain can cough up — and Fox News dutifully treats it like the Lord’s scripture.… https://t.co/xVHIqENZ0z
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 6, 2026
Newsom bluntly asked, “What’s Trump doing? Making it easier for scammers to steal taxpayer dollars!” He then attached Dr. Oz’s video. It wasn’t just Newsom who slammed Dr. Oz’s remarks.
In another post, he called out the Trump administration under scrutiny. After ridiculing Trump’s actions, Newsom’s press office representatives revealed that he had stopped $125 billion in fraud after taking office.
The two have exchanged blows over ongoing hospice, Medicare, and Medicaid fraud. Whether the POTUS will intervene in their feud remains to be seen.
