California Governor Gavin Newsom launches an unprecedented $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News for allegedly manipulating video footage to paint him as a liar about a controversial phone call with President Trump.
Key Takeaways
- Newsom’s lawsuit targets Fox News over claims that they deliberately edited footage to misrepresent his integrity regarding a call with President Trump about National Guard deployment
- The $787 million damages sought match the settlement amount in Fox’s Dominion Voting Systems case, with Newsom offering to drop the suit if Fox issues a formal on-air apology
- Fox News has dismissed the lawsuit as a “transparent publicity stunt” designed to chill free speech critical of the California governor
- The case hinges on whether Fox News acted with actual malice by ignoring the fact that Trump mistakenly cited the wrong date of their conversation
A Political Media Showdown
In a bold challenge against what he calls a “propaganda network,” California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a massive $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware Superior Court where Fox is incorporated, accuses the media giant of deliberately manipulating video content to suggest Newsom lied about a phone call with President Trump regarding National Guard deployment during Los Angeles protests. The specific amount mirrors the settlement Fox reached with Dominion Voting Systems in their high-profile defamation case, sending a clear message about the severity of the allegations.
The lawsuit centers on a June interview where President Trump claimed he’d recently called Newsom about deploying National Guard troops during protests. Newsom later clarified there had been no such call. According to the complaint, Fox News host Jesse Watters and others selectively edited footage to make it appear that Newsom was being dishonest, when in fact Trump had confused the date of their last conversation, which had occurred on June 7 and didn’t involve discussion of protests or the National Guard.
Propaganda vs. Free Speech
The California governor has offered to drop his lawsuit entirely if Fox News retracts its claims and issues a formal on-air apology, indicating his stated goal is about principle rather than financial gain. “No more lies. I’m suing Fox News for $787 million,” Newsom stated bluntly on social media, directly connecting his case to the network’s previous legal troubles. The governor’s aggressive legal strategy represents a confrontation with conservative media that rarely comes from Democratic politicians, potentially positioning him for a larger national role.
“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,” said Newsom. “I believe the American people should be able to trust the information they receive from a major news outlet. Until Fox is willing to be truthful, I will keep fighting against their propaganda machine.”
Fox News has responded by dismissing Newsom’s lawsuit as politically motivated theater. “Gov. Newsom’s transparent publicity stunt is frivolous and designed to chill free speech critical of him. We will defend this case vigorously and look forward to it being dismissed,” stated a Fox News spokesperson. This defensive posture suggests the network isn’t backing down despite having recently paid an enormous settlement in a similar defamation case.
Political Calculation or Principled Stand?
The timing and nature of Newsom’s lawsuit have raised questions about his political motivations. Some political observers see this as a calculated move to position himself as a leading Trump antagonist among Democrats. “Democrats across the country are out there yearning for Democrats to take on Trump. Partly through Trump’s stumbles and his own mistakes, I think that he has inadvertently boosted Newsom into the position of being the chief protagonist against him,” said Garry South, a Democratic strategist who has previously worked for Newsom.
“There was no call. Not even a voicemail. Americans should be alarmed that a President deploying Marines onto our streets doesn’t even know who he’s talking to,” Newsom stated regarding Trump’s claim about their conversation, highlighting the serious national security implications of the situation rather than just the personal affront.
The lawsuit has also sparked concern among First Amendment advocates who worry about the precedent it might set. “Lawsuits like this risk becoming a form of censorship and send a troubling message to news organizations: that they may face legal retaliation for their work,” warned Katherine Jacobsen of the Committee to Protect Journalists, raising important questions about where the line should be drawn between holding media accountable and protecting press freedoms essential to democracy.
