Steve Hilton claims Newsom’s $20M diaper program costs 3x retail

California gubernatorial candidate and former Fox News host Steve Hilton criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom’s more than $20 million state-funded diaper initiative, arguing that 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 400 diapers to 100,000 babies.” Hilton said In a video published on social media. “That works out to $0.50 per diaper. We came to Target to check out how much you can buy it for at the store. It’s $15.62 per box. That works out to $0.16 per diaper.”

Hilton shot the video at a Target store while comparing retail diaper prices to the projected costs of the state program. The program, announced by the Newsom administration, will provide diaper supplies to low-income families through nonprofit organizations and community partners.

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“Gavin Newsom’s diapers cost three times as much,” Hilton said. “This isn’t even Costco. Why is it three times more expensive for Gavin Newsom to ship diapers to 100,000 babies than to drop the money into parents’ bank accounts?”

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

“Because he’s going to some completely ridiculous nonprofit that his friends are going to make money from,” Hilton said.

Businessman Marcus Lemonis weighed About the discussion in an article about X.

“Mathematics always wins,” Lemonis wrote.

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California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is questioning Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $20 million diaper initiative, claiming the program costs taxpayers nearly three times more per diaper than store prices. (Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Fox News contributor Joey Jones also criticized the initiative During a television appearance, he argued that California families face broader affordability issues.

“If Democrats REALLY care about this issue, make it easier to start a family in California,” Jones said. “Don’t charge them $2 extra per gallon because it’s supposed to be special California gas and there’s this crazy, weird surcharge you don’t even know where it’s coming from.”

Jones also criticized the state’s other spending priorities when discussing the diaper initiative.

“Don’t do things like spend a hundred million dollars on a land bridge so 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 your tourniquet problem and run for president.”

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Retired Marine and Fox News contributor Joey Jones argues that California should focus on lowering the cost of living for families rather than expanding government assistance programs. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)

Republican congressional candidate Melissa Bailey accused Democrats Inefficient use of taxpayers’ money.

“There is no such thing as free diapers,” Bailey wrote to X. “CA has a brand new free diaper program, but taxpayers are footing the bill.”

“Democrats do this ALL THE TIME,” Bailey wrote. “Gavin Newsom steals taxpayer money and launders it to a nonprofit run by his wife’s friend and buys the diapers for $0.50 each. Diapers cost less than half of what they cost at major retailers. Connected insiders win. Taxpayers lose.”

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