Halle Berry Rips Gavin Newsom for Vetoing Menopause Bill, Warns Against 2028 Presidential Bid

Actress Halle Berry didn’t hold back during her appearance at The New York Times DealBook Summit, where she sharply criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom for repeatedly vetoing a bipartisan bill focused on menopause care. The 59-year-old Oscar winner said Newsom had “overlooked” and “devalued” women and should not be considered for the presidency.

“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 said. “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. Just saying.”

The bill in question — The Advancing Menopause Care and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act — would have authorized $275 million over five years to expand education and research on menopause for both healthcare providers and the public. It received bipartisan support, yet Newsom rejected it twice, drawing the ire of health advocates and now Hollywood icons.

Berry, who launched the menopause-focused health company Respin, framed the issue as part of a broader pattern of neglect toward aging women in American society.

“Our culture thinks that at 59 years old, I am past my prime,” she said. “Women my age start to become invisible in Hollywood, in the workplace, on social media. Women are pressured to stay forever 35. We’re complimented if we seem to be aging backwards or defying gravity — as if that’s even possible.”

She added bluntly, “In 2025, I, Halle Berry, and women of my age are simply devalued in this country.”

Berry’s speech was met with applause from attendees and online praise from advocates who argue that women’s midlife health has been systemically ignored. Her criticism of Newsom comes as speculation continues about the California governor’s national ambitions, including talk of a potential 2028 White House run.

Newsom has not responded directly to Berry’s comments, but he previously defended his veto by citing concerns about duplicative spending and existing federal programs. Critics, however, say the vetoes reveal a blind spot in the administration’s approach to women’s health.

Berry made it clear that she doesn’t intend to stay silent: “I’ve got zero [expletives] left to give,” she said. “I’m going to say what needs to be said.”