Gavin Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million Over Trump Call Defamation

preCharge News POLITICS — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has filed a $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News, alleging the conservative network intentionally misrepresented details of a phone call between Newsom and former President Donald Trump.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Delaware Superior Court—where Fox Corp. is incorporated—demands the same amount Fox paid to Dominion Voting Systems in 2023 to settle a separate defamation case.

“No more lies,” Newsom wrote in a tweet announcing the lawsuit.

Central Focus: Jesse Watters’ Edited Trump Clip

Watters Accused of Spreading Misinformation

The core of the suit centers on Fox News anchor Jesse Watters, who claimed Newsom lied about not speaking to Trump on or around June 9. According to the suit, Fox aired a selectively edited clip from a Trump press briefing, omitting that the president said he had spoken to Newsom “a day ago.”

Watters then questioned on-air, “Why would Newsom lie and claim Trump never called him?”, and a chyron on the screen read:
“Gavin Lied About Trump’s Call.”

The lawsuit alleges these editorial choices amount to deliberate defamation, accusing Fox of trying to “curry favor with President Trump” amid a heated political dispute over the deployment of California National Guard troops.

Timeline Disputed: When Did Trump and Newsom Talk?

Governor Says Call Occurred June 6 or 7, Not June 9

Newsom’s legal filing confirms that a 16-minute call between him and Trump took place late on June 6 or early June 7, depending on the time zone.

However, Newsom insists that Trump never brought up the protests in Los Angeles or any National Guard action during that call. The suit claims:

“When Governor Newsom attempted to discuss the situation in Los Angeles, President Trump steered the topic away.”

In contrast, Trump said in a June 10 Oval Office briefing that he spoke to Newsom “a day ago” to criticize his handling of the protests.

Shortly after, Newsom tweeted:
“There was no call. Not even a voicemail.”

Lawsuit Demands: Retraction, On-Air Apology

Newsom Offers to Drop Lawsuit if Fox Retracts Claim

According to a letter sent by Newsom’s legal team to Fox News, the governor is willing to dismiss the lawsuit if the network issues:

A formal on-air retraction
An apology from Jesse Watters
A withdrawal of the claim that Newsom lied

“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 said in a public statement.

He added that major news outlets must be held accountable for spreading disinformation.

Political Context: Fox’s Alleged Bias Against Newsom

The lawsuit further alleges that Fox harbors a personal and ideological bias against Newsom due to his “progressive values” and prominence as a Democratic voice challenging conservative media narratives.