Steve Hilton attacks Newsom government diaper program he says charges taxpayers triple retail cost

California gubernatorial candidate and former Fox News host Steve Hilton criticized Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., over a $20 million state-funded diaper initiative, arguing the program pays significantly more per diaper than parents would spend at retail stores.

"Gavin Newsom is taking $20 million of your money to send 100,000 babies 400 diapers," Hilton said in a video posted to social media. "That works out at $0.50 per diaper. We just came into Target to check out what you could buy it for in the store. $15.62 for the box. That works out at $0.16 per diaper."

Hilton filmed the video inside a Target store while comparing retail diaper prices to the state program’s projected costs. The program announced by Newsom’s administration would provide diaper supplies to low-income families through nonprofit organizations and community partners.

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"Gavin Newsom’s diapers are three times more expensive," Hilton said. "This isn’t even Costco. Why is it three times more expensive for Gavin Newsom to send diapers to 100,000 babies than just leaving the money in the bank accounts of the parents in the first place?"

Hilton also accused the Newsom administration of routing funds through politically connected nonprofit groups.

"Because he is going to some total nonsense nonprofit, which the cronies of his are going to make money," Hilton said.

Businessman Marcus Lemonis weighed in on the debate in a post on X.

"Math always wins," Lemonis wrote.

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Fox News contributor Joey Jones also criticized the initiative during a television appearance, arguing California families face broader affordability problems.

"If Democrats REALLY cared about this issue, make it easier to raise a family in California," Jones said. "Don’t charge them $2 extra a gallon for gas because that needs to be special California gas, and there’s this crazy, weird surcharge that you don’t even know where it comes from."

Jones also criticized other state spending priorities while discussing the diaper initiative.

"Don’t do things like spend a hundred million dollars on a land bridge so the California cougars can get from one side of the interstate to the other," Jones said. "What do you do? You put a Band-Aid on a tourniquet problem and run for president."

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Republican congressional candidate Melissa Bailey accused Democrats of using taxpayer money inefficiently.

"There’s no such thing as a free diaper," Bailey wrote on X. "CA has a shiny new free diaper program but taxpayers are footing the bill."

"Democrats do this EVERY SINGLE TIME," Bailey wrote. "Gavin Newsom is stealing taxpayer money, laundering it to a nonprofit run by his wife’s friend, to buy diapers at $.50 a pop. Diapers cost less than half that at major retailers. Connected insiders win. Taxpayers lose."

Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Newsom for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.