Fox News Seeks to Discard Governor Gavin Newsom's Expensive $787 Million Defamation Claim
In a significant legal move, California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News in June 2025, accusing the network of falsely claiming that he lied about a phone call between himself and former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit, which seeks $787 million in damages and a retraction/apology, alleges that Fox News defamed him in its coverage, particularly when host Jesse Watters accused him of lying about the call’s existence.
The call in question took place during a period of political tension after immigration-related protests in Los Angeles, with Trump ordering National Guard troops and Marines to California, bypassing Newsom. Trump had publicly claimed he spoke to Newsom "a day ago," while Newsom initially denied any such call happened, before a phone record screenshot was shown on Fox News confirming the call.
Fox News, however, is seeking to dismiss the lawsuit in Delaware Superior Court. The network's legal team brands Newsom’s claim a "political stunt" and "spectacle" designed to harass the network and suppress its free speech rights. Fox contends that its reporting—that Newsom lied about the call—is substantially true because Newsom initially denied the call had occurred.
The attorneys for Fox News also assert that the lawsuit is more about creating a "press spectacle" than seeking justice. They claim that Newsom's primary motive is to generate political theatre supporting his presidential ambitions rather than addressing legitimate reputational harm.
In response to the accusations, Watters initially offered a half-hearted apology to Newsom, but Fox News' attorneys now state that the governor's lawsuit is a blatant "political stunt" that was filed solely "to advance his presidential ambitions." In his apology statement, Watters conceded that Newsom "didn't deceive anybody on purpose," but did not admit to any defamation of Newsom.
Watters' apology statement also noted that Newsom was "just confusing and unclear." However, Newsom had clarified on social media that he hadn't heard from the White House in about three days, stating that he had spoken with Trump at 1:28 a.m. on June 7.
Fox News continues to dispute the defamation claims made by Newsom in the lawsuit. The filing by Fox News characterizes Newsom's $787 million lawsuit as a "headline-grabbing gimmick." The network maintains that it is committed to upholding the First Amendment and protecting its right to free speech.
- The ongoing legal battle between California Governor Gavin Newsom and Fox News, ignited by Newsom's defamation lawsuit in June 2025, has been a focal point of war-and-conflicts within policy-and-legislation and politics, with Newsom accusing Fox News of falsely defaming him, while Fox News argues it is protecting its right to free speech under the First Amendment.
- The general news landscape has been significantly influenced by this controversy, as both parties continue to exchange accusations, with Fox News branding Newsom's lawsuit a "spectacle" and a "political stunt", and Newsom alleging that Fox News' reporting defamed him by falsely accusing him of lying about a phone call with Trump during a period of politically charged immigration-related protests in Los Angeles.
