Gavin Newsom Says Halle Berry ‘Didn’t Know’ the Whole Story When She Accused Him of ‘Devaluing’ Women: ‘We’re Reconciling’

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is pushing back after Halle Berry sharply criticized his decision to veto menopause care legislation for the second year in a row.

Speaking with reporters at New Jersey’s Newark Airport on Thursday, Dec. 4, Newsom, 58, sought to clarify his position on the menopause care proposal at the center of Berry’s remarks. He said he had recently spoken with Berry’s manager and claimed the 59-year-old actor “didn’t know” that his administration plans to fund the measure in his upcoming 2026–27 budget.

“We have the ability to reconcile that, so we’re reconciling. I’ve included it in next year’s budget,” Newsom told a reporter. “She didn’t know that.”

“We already were in the process of fixing it,” he added.

Berry had publicly called out Newsom the day before, during an appearance at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit on Wednesday, Dec. 3. There, she argued that the California governor “shouldn’t be our next president,” saying she believes he has “devalued women.”

Her comments followed Newsom’s October veto of the Menopause Care Equity Act — AB 432 — for the second consecutive year. The bill, which Berry has supported, would have expanded access to medical treatments aimed at easing the symptoms of menopause, according to Politico Pro.

“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 told the audience.

“But that’s okay, because he’s not going to be governor forever, and with the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us in midlife, he probably should not be our next president either,” she continued, prompting audible gasps from the crowd. “Just saying.”

Newsom’s office previously responded to Berry’s remarks in a statement, noting that the governor has “deep admiration for Ms. Berry’s advocacy” on women’s health and that he “looks forward to working with her and other stakeholders on this critical issue.”

“He vetoed the bill because, as written, it would have unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women already stretched thin — something he’s determined to avoid,” the statement said. “We’re confident that by working together this year, we can expand access to essential menopause treatment while protecting women from higher bills.”