The CEO of retailer Bed Bath & Beyond has delivered a scathing critique of California, announcing that the company will not expand into the state due to what he describes as crippling Democrat-led regulations.
“We will not open or operate retail stores in California,” Marcus Lemonis declared in a statement.
“This decision is not political — it’s practical. California has created one of the most overregulated, expensive, and risky business environments in the country. The system makes it harder to employ workers, harder to keep stores open, and harder to provide value to customers,” he explained.
According to Lemonis, the result of these policies is predictable: higher taxes, higher fees, wage requirements many businesses cannot meet, and layers of regulation that choke growth. “Even when the state boasts a budget surplus, it’s built on the backs of ordinary citizens paying too much and businesses squeezed until they collapse,” he said.
Lemonis emphasized that Bed Bath & Beyond’s first duty is to its customers and shareholders. “We will not operate in a system that undermines both. Instead, we’re focusing on a model that works: 24–48-hour delivery, and in many cases, same-day service. Californians will still get the products they love through BedBathandBeyond.com — without the inflated costs of an unsustainable system.”
He concluded with a call for change: “Businesses deserve the chance to thrive. Employees deserve jobs with stability. Customers deserve fair prices. California’s system delivers the opposite. That’s why we’re taking a stand and choosing to serve California on our terms, with customers’ best interests at heart.”
The decision could carry political implications for Governor Gavin Newsom, widely rumored to be eyeing the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. Meanwhile, Newsom has also come under fire from the Trump administration over the state’s sanctuary policies protecting undocumented migrants from deportation.
Just last week, U.S. Border Patrol agents staged a highly visible presence outside an anti-Trump rally hosted by Newsom in Los Angeles, arresting at least one individual.
The event, which Newsom branded “Liberation Day,” was intended to highlight his plan to counter Republican redistricting efforts in Texas. In a social media post before the rally, he predicted that “Donald Trump and [Texas Governor] Greg Abbott are going to have a very bad day today.”
Footage obtained by Fox 11 and Fox News showed more than a dozen armed, masked Border Patrol agents outside the rally. Video captured one man being led away in handcuffs as protesters shouted.
Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino told Fox 11: “We’re here making Los Angeles a safer place. Since politicians won’t do it, we’re stepping up. As you can see, we’re already making the city safer.” He added firmly: “We’re glad to be here, and we’re not going anywhere.”
When asked what message he had for Governor Newsom, Bovino replied: “We’re making Los Angeles a safer place and we’ll continue to do so. They can take that to the bank.”
Newsom’s office later issued an all-caps statement to Fox News Digital blasting the incident: “WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY WEAK LITTLE DONALD TRUMP, THE CRIMINAL PRESIDENT!”