California Governor Sues Fox News Over $787 Million

California Governor Gavin Newsom has initiated a lawsuit against Fox News for $787 million, accusing the network of producing a “deceptive compilation” of a conversation he had with President Trump during recent immigration protests in Los Angeles.

The lawsuit was filed on Friday, as several news outlets reported how Primetime host Jesse Watters suggested that Newsom had misled the public regarding his communication with Trump, including the governor’s order of National Guard troops to Los Angeles earlier this month.

Traditionally, politicians have shied away from suing media organizations due to the challenges of winning such cases, and, frankly, the expected misrepresentation in political reporting is often just part of the landscape. But Newsom, who is likely eyeing a presidential bid in 2028, isn’t backing down.

According to reports, Newsom’s legal team argues that Watters’ program manipulated Trump’s video to further their claims against him.

In a post on X, Newsom articulated that the demand for damages was analogous to the $787.5 million settlement reached with Dominion Voting Systems, a case revolving around misleading claims that impacted the 2020 election result against Trump.

“If Fox News aims to mislead the American public on behalf of Donald Trump, they should be held accountable, just as Dominion was,” Newsom stated. “I believe Americans deserve to trust the major news sources they turn to. I will keep standing against this kind of misinformation until Fox decides to tell the truth.”

Newsom last spoke to President Trump on June 7, during a 16-minute conversation occurring a day after Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to address anti-ICE protests, as per the legal complaint.

The suit claims that on June 10, during a segment, Watters questioned why Newsom allegedly lied about Trump never contacting him, contradicting what was shown on-screen during the segment aired by Fox News reporter John Roberts.

Essentially, the lawsuit contends that misleading recollections of the call’s timing were utilized to depict Newsom as deceptive. Newsom’s attorneys assert that the allegedly inaccurate coverage meets the criteria for defamation, with the lawsuit filed in Delaware Superior Court directly against Fox News.

Furthermore, the suit claims that this allegedly false reporting could damage Newsom’s reputation with voters and hinder his prospects in future elections.

To establish a genuine defamation claim, the plaintiff must demonstrate that the media entity acted with malice, knowing it was providing false information that could harm the public figure’s reputation. Proving this in court is often quite challenging.