California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office is fighting back after people started to question its free diapers program.
A quick recap for those who missed the news, California families will be receiving hundreds of free diapers before taking their new children home from the hospital thanks to a government program announced by Newsom Friday.
“During the program’s first year, it will be offered at about 65 to 75 hospitals that handle about a quarter of births in the state and largely serve low-income patients, Newsom’s office said. The initiative will expand to more hospitals statewide, though the governor’s office did not say how many,” ABC7 reported. “The state has partnered with nonprofit Baby2Baby to manufacture the diapers under the label ‘Golden State Start.'”
“The state set aside $7.4 million in last year’s budget to roll out the initiative, and this year’s budget proposal includes an additional $12.5 million to implement the program for the upcoming fiscal year ending in June 2027,” the outlet added. “It will allow each family to receive 400 diapers in sizes for newborns and babies up to 14 pounds (6 kilograms) when they are discharged from a hospital after birth. That’s a little more than a month’s worth, since newborns on average require eight to 10 diapers a day.”
Well, people started looking into the program, and the things they noticed were less-than-kosher:
Gavin Newsom just announced a shiny new taxpayer funded program giving free diapers to newborns leaving California hospitals and his administration is partnering with Baby2Baby with almost $20 MILLION in state funds to manufacture them.
I’m sure it’s a total coincidence that… pic.twitter.com/EBdnvpyjwN
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) May 8, 2026
“Gavin Newsom just announced a shiny new taxpayer-funded program giving free diapers to newborns leaving California hospitals and his administration is partnering with Baby2Baby with almost $20 MILLION in state funds to manufacture them. I’m sure it’s a total coincidence that one of Baby2Baby’s Co-CEOs, Norah Weinstein, sits on the board of Gavin Newsom’s wife’s California Partners Project. There is nothing that Gavin Newsom can’t grift,” one user suggested.
Now, the governor’s office is fighting back:
THIS IS FALSE.
MAGA and the NY Comic Book are once again spreading lies:
FACT: It’s a $6.2 million contract (not $20 million)
FACT: It covers 40 million diapers in year one — about 15.5 cents per diaper (not 50 cents as claimed).
FACT: Baby2Baby was chosen through a rigorous… https://t.co/Dpg8Dzrkzg
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) May 11, 2026
“THIS IS FALSE. MAGA and the NY Comic Book are once again spreading lies: FACT: It’s a $6.2 million contract (not $20 million). FACT: It covers 40 million diapers in year one — about 15.5 cents per diaper (not 50 cents as claimed). FACT: Baby2Baby was chosen through a rigorous COMPETITIVE procurement process. It is a national nonprofit, based in California, with strong experience in delivering diapers for families in need and in the last 15 years they have distributed over 300 million diapers to families in need across the country. This program is a game-changer for new moms, providing 400 FREE diapers for all newborns. Why is MAGA anti family? It’s sick!” the account tweeted.
X users aren’t so convinced, though:
If you let criminal walk away everyday for stealing things( even it is less than 1k), you are utterly stupid. No one should trust or believe a damn thing you said.
— hellboyind (@bXc328) May 11, 2026
How about you just suspend that extreme gas tax and the rest of your BS taxes and then new moms could afford diapers without the government? I think you lie so much that you are convince truth is a lie.
— NorCal Field Report (@NorCalReport) May 11, 2026
A “rigorous COMPETITIVE procurement process” pic.twitter.com/ObmnZaFvJ3
— Josey Cogburn 🛒 (@amcap76) May 11, 2026
Please share the competitive bids openly
— Tyler Thompson (@TylerThompsonAZ) May 11, 2026
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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