Newsom Sues Fox for $787M Over Trump Lie

Gavin Newsom, April 2024. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation. Public domain.

The culture war just got a $787 million price tag.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a headline-grabbing defamation lawsuit against Fox News, accusing the network of knowingly airing false claims that damaged his reputation, credibility, and future political viability. At the heart of the legal battle? A primetime accusation that Newsom lied about a phone call with President Trump during the peak of a tense federal immigration crackdown — an accusation the governor alleges Fox knew was false but aired anyway.

Filed on June 27 in Delaware Superior Court, the suit isn't just about correcting a timeline. It's a direct strike at Fox News' editorial judgment, branding the network as a partisan operation willing to smear public officials to protect Trump from his own misstatements.

What the Lawsuit Alleges

According to Newsom's legal team, the facts are not in dispute. He and Trump spoke briefly — around 16 minutes — late on June 6 or early June 7, during mounting protests in Los Angeles over federal immigration raids.

Days later, Trump claimed during a televised Oval Office appearance that he had spoken to Newsom "a day ago," as reported by POLITICO, implying a call took place on June 9 or 10. No such call occurred, according to Newsom, who publicly denied the claim in real-time via social media.

Despite this, Fox News anchor Jesse Watters aired an edited video of Trump's remarks and asked viewers, "Why would Newsom lie and claim Trump never called him," according to the CNBC. Meanwhile, a banner across the screen reportedly read "Gavin Lied About Trump's Call."

Newsom alleges this was no innocent mistake — but a calculated effort to boost Trump's credibility at his expense. The suit claims the network acted with "actual malice," a high legal threshold requiring proof that the network either knew its claims were false or aired them with reckless disregard for the truth, according to Reuters.

The Price of a Primetime Smear?

The governor's eye-popping $787 million demand mirrors the amount Fox News reportedly paid to settle its 2023 lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems, which accused the network of spreading false election fraud claims. That case never made it to trial, but it peeled back layers of internal communications showing network hosts casting doubt on the very narratives they aired.

Newsom, who is suing in his personal capacity, says he'll drop the case if Fox and Watters publicly retract the claim and issue an on-air apology — an offer Fox has rejected.

Instead, the network dismissed the lawsuit as "frivolous" and politically motivated, calling it a "transparent publicity stunt ... designed to chill free speech critical of (Newsom)," according to CNBC.

The Bigger Fight Over Truth

For Newsom, this isn't just personal — it's political.

The lawsuit arrives as California remains in open conflict with Trump's White House over immigration enforcement and National Guard deployments. Trump recently ordered 2,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines to respond to unrest in Los Angeles, bypassing the governor's authority in the process.

According to Newsom's complaint, not only was Trump's statement about their call inaccurate, but Fox manipulated the story "to provoke outrage" and "cause Governor Newsom significant harm" to his reputation, political prospects, and fundraising ability, according to Reuters.

Legal experts say the case faces steep odds. Public officials rarely win defamation suits because they must prove "actual malice" — a standard set in the landmark 1964 Supreme Court ruling New York Times v. Sullivan.

But the governor's team insists this case is different, pointing to video editing, internal communications, and prior settlements as signs that Fox has crossed a line.

"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. "Until Fox is willing to be truthful, I will keep fighting against their propaganda machine."

The case also draws a contrast with Trump himself, who has reportedly used defamation lawsuits to go after networks like ABC and CBS over coverage he claimed misrepresented him.

Some observers see Newsom's move as an attempt to flip that script — using the courts to hold conservative media to account.

What's at Stake

Beyond the courtroom, the case could shape how media outlets handle statements from high-profile figures. It could also test whether the legal system is willing to police what gets said — or manipulated — on air in service of a political narrative.

Whether this becomes a landmark case or a footnote depends on how aggressively Newsom pursues it — and whether Fox offers a public mea culpa. For now, the lawsuit stands as both a legal challenge and a symbolic shot at the heart of a media ecosystem that thrives on conflict.

References: California's Newsom sues Fox News for $787 million for defamation over Trump call | Gavin Newsom sues Fox News for $787M in defamation case over Trump call | California Gov. Newsom sues Fox News for $787M, alleges defamation about Trump call | Why Gavin Newsom can’t stop at simply trolling Fox | Gavin Newsom sues Fox News for defamation and demands $787m