California Governor Gavin Newsom is suing Fox News for $787 million, claiming the network knowingly aired false claims about a phone call he had with Donald Trump during the recent anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.
In the lawsuit, filed Friday, Newsom says Fox “flat-out lied” about what happened during a June 7 call between him and the president, and used its platform to mislead viewers for political gain.
“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,” Newsom said. “Until Fox is willing to be truthful, I will keep fighting against their propaganda machine.”
Newsom is asking for the exact amount Fox News paid Dominion Voting Systems last year — $787 million — to settle a defamation lawsuit over spreading election lies. He’s also demanding the network stop airing any more segments that repeat the same falsehoods about the Trump call.
The lawsuit marks a major escalation in Newsom’s public battle with right-wing media, and mirrors tactics often used by Trump himself. The president is currently suing CBS News for $20 billion over a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
While Trump is threatening more lawsuits against CNN and The New York Times, Newsom is now taking Fox to court, accusing the network of pushing deliberate misinformation.
This legal fight could be another major test of how far media outlets can go in spreading politically charged claims — and whether they’ll pay the price.
