California Governor Gavin Newsom has broken his silence on Halle Berry’s criticism of his vetoes on menopause care legislation.
Speaking with reporters at Newark Airport on Thursday, the 58-year-old politician said the actress “didn’t know” the full picture and that they are now “reconciling.”
He also clarified that his administration plans to include funding for the Menopause Care Equity Act in the 2026-27 budget.
“We have the ability to reconcile that, so we’re reconciling. I’ve included it in next year’s budget. She didn’t know that,” Newsom said. “We already were in the process of fixing it.”
Berry, 59, had spoken against Newsom's move during her appearance at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit on Wednesday, saying Newsom “devalued women” by vetoing the legislation two years in a row.
She went on to say that Newson “shouldn’t be our next president.”
She also criticised the vetoes for limiting access to menopause-related medical treatments.
Newsom’s office previously told People that the governor “has deep admiration for Ms. Berry’s advocacy” and aims to work with her and other stakeholders “to expand access to essential menopause treatment while protecting women from higher bills.”
The statement said the vetoes aimed to prevent unexpected healthcare cost hikes for millions of working women.
