CALIFORNIA, 27 June 2025 – California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News on Friday, accusing the network of falsely claiming he lied about a phone call with President Donald Trump. The suit, lodged in Delaware where Fox News is incorporated, centers on a segment by host Jesse Watters, who questioned why Newsom would “lie and claim Trump never called him” while a chyron blared, “Gavin Lied About Trump’s Call.
The dispute stems from a June 7, 2025, call between Newsom and Trump, which Newsom referenced during protests in Los Angeles over Trump’s immigration raids. Trump later claimed the call occurred “a day ago,” prompting Newsom to clarify the timeline. Newsom’s legal team alleges Fox News deliberately misrepresented this clarification, editing Trump’s comments to falsely portray Newsom as denying the call entirely. The lawsuit claims this smear was intended to damage Newsom’s political career, particularly as a potential Democratic presidential contender.
Newsom’s lawyers sent a letter to Fox News demanding a retraction and an on-air apology from Watters, offering to drop the suit if complied.
“If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump’s behalf, it should face consequences—just like it did in the Dominion case,” Newsom told Politico, referencing Fox’s $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems in 2023 over false election claims.
The lawsuit cites a call log aired by Fox, provided by host John Roberts, which confirmed the June 7 call, contradicting Watters’ narrative. Newsom’s team argues the network acted with malice, knowingly broadcasting misleading information to harm the governor’s reputation amid his high-profile clashes with Trump, including legal battles over National Guard deployments in Los Angeles.
Fox News has not publicly responded to the lawsuit, but the case escalates tensions between Newsom and the conservative network, where he has been a frequent target despite past appearances, including a 2023 interview with Sean Hannity. The suit also mirrors Trump’s own legal strategy, with the president recently securing multimillion-dollar settlements in defamation cases against media outlets.
Newsom, suing in his personal capacity, has pledged any proceeds to anti-Trump causes and will cover potential fines from his campaign funds. The lawsuit seeks not only damages but a court order barring Fox from airing further claims that Newsom lied about the call. As the legal battle unfolds, it underscores the deepening rift between Newsom and Trump’s media allies, with the governor vowing to combat what he calls Fox’s “propaganda machine.”