Halle Berry Takes Aim at Gavin Newsom, Says He Shouldn’t Be the Next President

Halle Berry went to a business-and-politics conference in New York to talk menopause care and ended up taking a very clear shot at California governor Gavin Newsom — and his White House ambitions. It was blunt, pointed, and very Halle.

The room, the moment

Berry spoke at the New York Times DealBook Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Appel Room, a gathering that mixes politicians, CEOs, and assorted power players. She got emotional at points and stayed locked in on one topic: how women, especially women in midlife, are treated — by the healthcare system, by Hollywood, and by corporate America.

Why Newsom came up

Berry backed a California menopause bill that aimed to improve care for women going through this stage of life. Newsom vetoed it — twice. That was the spark for her frustration, and she did not tiptoe around it or his buzzed-about future in national politics.

'He probably should not be our next president.'

What she actually said (and what she meant)

• Berry called out Newsom for rejecting the menopause bill two years in a row and said he will not be governor forever, underlining that the vetoes devalue half the population.
• She pushed the idea that women need to take ownership of their health and treatment because the system often does not prioritize them.
• She tied her stance to her own work: Berry founded the menopause care brand Respin and said she is building what she wishes existed a decade ago, with an eye toward helping future generations.
• She framed all of this through a career-spanning lens — from activism and philanthropy to her time in front of the camera — arguing that the culture still sidelines older women.

The ageism piece

Berry got specific about how this shows up. At 59, she said the broader culture treats women her age as past their prime and increasingly invisible — in Hollywood, in the workplace, and on social media. She pushed back on the pressure to look and act 35 forever, calling the whole mindset tired and overdue for change. And yes, she literally said the conversation in 2025 still has a long way to go.

The read

This was not a vague 'do better' speech. It was a targeted critique tied to an actual bill, delivered in a room full of decision-makers. If Newsom is angling for a presidential runway, Berry just put a flashing red light on how he handled menopause care — and she did it with receipts and a platform built around the issue.