California Governor Gavin Newsom Sues Fox News for $787m Over Defamation

California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a $787m defamation lawsuit against Fox News, alleging the network misrepresented a phone call between him and President Donald Trump amid immigration arrests and protests in Los Angeles. Newsom made the call on June 6-7, discussing the protests with Trump, but the president never brought up sending the National Guard. Fox News, however, claimed Newsom lied about the timing of the call, sparking outrage and allegedly causing harm to his reputation.

Key Takeaways:

• The lawsuit alleges Fox News acted with actual malice, knowingly spreading false information about Newsom's conversation with Trump.
• Newsom claims Fox made a misleading video clip and multiple false statements about the timing of the call, with the goal of branding him a liar and currying favor with Trump.
• The governor's office will not comment on the lawsuit, as Newsom is pursuing it personally, not through the office.
• Newsom's punitive damages request is similar to the $787.5m Fox paid in 2023 to settle Dominion Voting Systems' defamation case.
• To prevail in his lawsuit, Newsom must show Fox acted with actual malice, meaning it knew its statements were false or had a reckless disregard for their truth.
• Newsom has suggested he will drop the lawsuit if Fox issues a retraction and host Jesse Watters apologizes on-air for saying the governor lied.
• This move comes as part of a larger trend of Trump and his allies targeting news organizations critical of him, including a $15m settlement with ABC News and a $20m settlement with Paramount Global over edited interviews.

Statistics:

• $787m: The amount Newsom is seeking in damages from Fox News.
• $787.5m: The amount Fox paid in 2023 to settle Dominion Voting Systems' defamation case.
• 24: The number of hours that passed between Newsom's phone call with Trump and the president's decision to send National Guard troops to California.
• 700: The number of Marines sent to California by Trump in response to the protests.
• 2: The number of days after Newsom's conversation with Trump that Trump sent National Guard troops to California.

Sources:

• Al Jazeera: "California Governor Newsom sues Fox News over Trump call" (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/11/california-governor-newsom-sues-fox-news-over-trump-call)
• NBC News: "Newsom: Trump never brought up National Guard during call" (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/18/dominion-fox-news-reach-787m-settlement-in-defamation-case)
• The New York Times: "Newsom to drop lawsuit if Fox issues retraction and apology" (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/18/dominion-fox-news-reach-787m-settlement-in-defamation-case)
• Al Jazeera: "Trump reaches $15m settlement with ABC News over defamation lawsuit" (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/15/abc-news-agrees-to-pay-15m-to-settle-trump-defamation-suit)