California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a lawsuit against Fox News Network for defamation.
The case, filed on June 27, 2025, in Delaware Superior Court, accuses Fox News of spreading false information about a phone call between Newsom and former President Donald Trump. The governor says the network lied about when the call happened and what was said, and that this harmed his reputation.
According to the lawsuit, Newsom and Trump spoke on the phone on June 6 or 7, but Fox News reported that the call happened just a day before Trump sent the National Guard to Los Angeles on June 7. Fox used this version of the story to suggest that Newsom supported Trump’s decision. The report included an edited video and a headline saying “Gavin Lied About Trump’s Call.” Newsom says this was false and done on purpose to make him look bad.
In a tweet posted on June 27, Newsom shared a photo of the lawsuit’s title page and wrote, “Bring it on.” The tweet has gone viral, and the lawsuit has caught the attention of both supporters and critics. Many users online are debating the move, with some calling it political and others saying it is necessary to fight misinformation. The title of the lawsuit lists Gavin C. Newsom as the plaintiff and Fox News Network, LLC as the defendant.
Newsom is asking for $787 million and a public apology
Newsom is asking for $787 million in damages. That number is the same as what Fox News paid Dominion Voting Systems in 2023 to settle a different defamation case. The governor is also asking for a public apology and correction from Fox News hosts Jesse Watters and John Roberts. Newsom said he will consider dropping the lawsuit if the network admits to their mistake and takes steps to fix the damage.
Bring it on. pic.twitter.com/X55MzRoMtL
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 27, 2025
This case comes at a time when public trust in the media is already low. Newsom’s legal team says the false report by Fox News not only hurt his image but also misled the public during an important event. The deployment of National Guard troops to control protests in Los Angeles was a sensitive issue, and Newsom argues that the truth matters in situations like this.
Fox News has denied the charges and called the lawsuit a publicity stunt. A spokesperson for the network said the company will defend itself and protect its right to free speech. They also said the story was based on facts and not meant to mislead anyone.
Legal experts say the case could take months or even years to finish. Because Newsom is a public official, he must prove that Fox News acted with “actual malice.” That means he has to show they knew the report was false or didn’t care if it was true or not. This is often hard to prove in court, but the case could still pressure Fox News to be more careful in the future.
