Newsom Criticized for Blaming Trump on Housing Costs With Data Showing Biden-Era Spike
California Governor's social media post draws sharp rebuke as critics point to a chart illustrating a significant increase in housing unaffordability during the current administration.
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently faced criticism for attributing rising housing costs to former President Donald Trump, using a chart that critics argued actually depicted a substantial increase in unaffordability during the Biden administration.
Newsom shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, highlighting a graph that showed the income required to qualify for a median-priced home from 2005 to 2026. The post asserted that U.S. homes are "now the most unaffordable in history." Newsom captioned the post, "Great work, @realDonaldTrump!"
However, several users on X pointed out that while the chart included data from Trump's presidency, the most significant upward trend in housing costs occurred between 2021 and 2024, under President Joe Biden's tenure. Critics, including the "Libs of TikTok" account and meteorologist Chris Martz, questioned Newsom's interpretation of the graph, with some suggesting he was unable to read it accurately.
Actor Doug Davidson commented that the biggest spike preceded Trump's time in office, while Outkick writer Ian Miller noted that California is already the most unaffordable state for housing and has seen conditions worsen under Newsom's governorship.
Newsom's social media activity drew comparisons to a since-deleted post from the Democratic Party's official X account concerning grocery prices. That post similarly claimed record highs in 2025, but users noted the accompanying graph showed prices increasing significantly in 2021, during the early part of the Biden administration.
Newsom's office has been actively pursuing initiatives to address housing affordability in California. He signed legislation in 2025 to exempt certain projects from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and streamline environmental reviews for housing and infrastructure. In July, further reforms were enacted to improve affordable housing financing and project review processes.
A White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, stated that President Trump has been more focused on affordability issues than Newsom. Ingle claimed Trump implemented policies such as prohibiting large Wall Street firms from purchasing single-family homes and directing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase mortgage bonds, which he contended helped lower interest rates. He also asserted that Trump reduced regulations to boost housing supply and lower costs.
In response to the criticism, Newsom's office was contacted for comment but did not immediately provide a response to Fox News Digital.