Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million Over Trump Call Segment

California Governor Gavin Newsom sued Fox News in Delaware Superior Court on Friday, seeking at least $787 million in damages and accusing the network of defaming him during its coverage of a recent phone call he had with President Donald Trump.

Newsom’s complaint focuses on a segment by host Jesse Watters, who said the governor lied about when he last spoke with the president regarding Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to Los Angeles. The lawsuit alleges Fox aired an edited clip of the president and displayed a chyron stating “Gavin Lied About Trump’s Call,” even though the call occurred late on June 6; Trump later told reporters on June 10 that the two had spoken “a day ago.”

The governor is demanding a formal retraction and an on-air apology from Watters. The $787 million figure intentionally matches the amount Fox paid Dominion Voting Systems in 2023, a comparison Newsom’s attorneys say underscores a pattern of reckless disregard for the truth.

Fox News called the suit “a transparent publicity stunt” aimed at chilling critical speech and said it will seek dismissal. The case adds to a growing wave of high-profile defamation litigation involving political figures and major media outlets.