Gavin Newsom was at Napa Valley wine tasting during LA anti-ICE riots: report

While violent anti-ICE riots erupted across Los Angeles earlier this month, California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom was attending a wine-tasting event in Napa Valley, according to a new report from City Journal.

On the afternoon of June 7, 2025, as chaos gripped Southern California, Newsom was seen mingling with guests at the “Vineyard Vibes” fundraiser held at the upscale Odette Estate Winery, which he co-founded in 2011.

According to senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, Christopher Rufo, writing for City Journal, the event featured jazz music, locally sourced food, and a curated selection of premium wines. The fundraiser supported the PlumpJack Foundation, led by Newsom’s sister, on behalf of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, in honor of their mother, who died of breast cancer.

Promotional materials billed the party as “the perfect kick-off to summer fun.”

“I couldn’t believe it,” said one guest at the event. “He was just walking around like this was an everyday occurrence.

The unrest in Los Angeles began the day prior, June 6. By the time Newsom arrived at the winery, rioters in LA had already begun torching vehicles, smashing windows, and clashing violently with police. That evening, after the event concluded, President Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to be deployed in California, citing the need to restore order amid “widespread lawlessness.”

In response to criticism, a spokesperson for Newsom defended his attendance, saying he “proudly attended” the fundraiser to support cancer research at UCSF, “in honor of his mother, who died of breast cancer.”

Yet the optics of the governor’s appearance at a high-end winery during a moment of statewide crisis have drawn sharp rebukes, particularly in light of his past controversies. Most notably, in 2020, Newsom came under fire for dining at the elite French Laundry restaurant during COVID lockdowns, defying his own public health guidance. He later apologized, calling it a “bad mistake.”

Rufo summed up the moment writing, "In this instance, it was wine, rather than food, that caught Newsom’s attention. But the principle is the same: Newsom sips Cabernet while his state burns."

The same day Newsom’s wine tasting was revealed, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Trump administration can maintain control of National Guard troops deployed in Los Angeles, handing the California governor another loss.