NOTE: VIDEO AT THE END OF ARTICLE
California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News, claiming the network knowingly spread false information during a Jesse Watters broadcast that accused Newsom of lying about a phone call with former President Donald Trump.
The lawsuit, filed in Delaware Superior Court, stems from a June 10 segment on Primetime with Jesse Watters. In the episode, Watters asserted that Newsom had spoken with Trump by phone on June 7 and accused the governor of dishonesty for denying it.
Newsom had publicly pushed back on Trump’s claim, posting on X: “There was no call. Not even a voicemail.” The post came in response to Trump’s statement to the press that he had spoken with Newsom during recent unrest in Los Angeles.
Watters countered on-air by citing Fox’s own John Roberts, who allegedly obtained call logs showing a 16-minute conversation between Trump and Newsom late on June 7. “Why would Newsom lie?” Watters asked viewers. “Why say it didn’t happen?”
Newsom’s legal team argues that even if there was confusion over the date or time of a call, Fox News presented the story in a “malicious” way that implied the governor was deliberately dishonest. A legal letter sent to Fox also took a swipe at Trump, suggesting the former president’s memory may be unreliable due to age and past behavior.
The $787 million figure mirrors the amount Fox paid to Dominion Voting Systems in 2023 to settle a defamation case related to election coverage. Newsom’s attorneys reportedly offered to drop the lawsuit if Fox issues a full on-air retraction and Jesse Watters delivers a public apology.
In a fiery statement, Newsom said, “If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump’s behalf, it should face consequences. This isn’t about politics — it’s about truth.”
Fox News quickly responded, calling the lawsuit “frivolous” and accusing the governor of trying to silence criticism. “We will defend this case vigorously and look forward to it being dismissed,” the network stated.
As the legal fight heads to Delaware, the case is already drawing national attention, especially given Fox’s high-profile history with defamation settlements.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCoAQsycOJM
