Fox News faces legal action from Governor Newsom over alleged defamation in their coverage of his conversation with President Trump.
California's Gov'nor Goes Guns Blazing with $787 Million Lawsuit Against Fox News
It's a political showdown as California Governor Gavin Newsom takes aim at Fox News for an alleged defamation of $787 million. The lawsuit sprouts from Fox News' controversial coverage of a phone call between Newsom and former President Donald Trump.
As Newsom gears up for the 2028 presidential race, he's escalating his feud with Trump. The lawsuit stems from a disagreement over the timing of a phone call that took place amidst the raging protests in L.A., fueled by the Trump administration's immigration enforcement attempts.
In the Delaware Superior Court, Newsom's legal eagles accuse Fox News of deploying deceptively edited videos and spitting out false statements, suggesting Newsom lied about the phone call. Fox News anchor, Jesse Watters, said, "Why would Newsom lie and claim Trump never called him?" During the lawsuit's basis, a chyron flashed, "Gavin Lied About Trump's Call."
Newsom's attorneys argue that the network attempted to tarnish the governor's political career of tomorrow. "Individual viewers who heard Fox's statement that Governor Newsom was 'lying' about when he last spoke to President Trump are less likely to support Governor Newsom in future elections," stated the lawyers.
Newsom's team offers Fox News a shot at redemption—drop the lawsuit, and Watters issues a on-air apology. The whopping $787 million demand mirrors the amount Fox News paid Dominion Voting Systems in a settlement to avert a defamation trial over the 2020 election lies.
Newsom called Fox News's actions "lies to the American people on Donald Trump's behalf," stipulating that the network should face consequences, just like they did in the Dominion case.
Fox News dismissed Newsom's claims as a "transparent publicity stunt" meant to silence free speech critical of Newsom. The network vowed to vigorously defend the case and is looking forward to its dismissal.
Newsom is suing Fox News on a personal level, and his attorneys include Mark Bankston, who represented the families of the children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School when they sued InfoWars host Alex Jones over his false claims about the 2012 massacre.
The California governor has graced Fox News screens in several high-profile moments, such as the 2023 debate with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The recent moves hint at Newsom's potential future presidential aspirations, as he ramps up his opposition against Trump amidst speculation about his political future.
Shortly after announcing the lawsuit, Newsom sent a fundraising email, flagging the suit in the subject line and requesting contributions to his political group.
[1] The lawsuit alleges that Fox News knowingly misrepresented facts to support Trump's inaccurate statement and spread misinformation for political purposes.
[2] The $787 million demand seeks punitive damages as part of an effort to challenge the erosion of truthful reporting and hold Fox News accountable for what Newsom describes as malicious propaganda.
[3] The lawsuit centers on Fox News anchors, notably Jesse Watters and John Roberts, who reported on Trump's false claim that he spoke with Newsom "a day ago" on June 10, 2025, while Newsom had publicly stated the call actually happened on June 6, before the deployment of military forces. Fox News reportedly manipulated video footage and used headlines such as "Gavin lied about Trump's call," which Newsom argues was defamatory and intentionally misleading.
- In the lawsuit, California Governor Gavin Newsom claims that Fox News knowingly misrepresented facts to support Donald Trump's inaccurate statement and spread misinformation for political purposes.
- The $787 million demand in the lawsuit against Fox News seeks punitive damages as part of an effort to challenge the erosion of truthful reporting and hold Fox News accountable for what Newsom describes as malicious propaganda.
- The lawsuit centers on Fox News anchors, notably Jesse Watters and John Roberts, who reported on Trump's false claim that he spoke with Newsom "a day ago" on June 10, 2025, while Newsom had publicly stated the call actually happened on June 6. Fox News allegedly manipulated video footage and used defamatory and intentionally misleading headlines such as "Gavin lied about Trump's call."
