$787 Million Lawsuit—The “DOMINION” Playbook!

California Governor Gavin Newsom is taking on Fox News in a high-stakes $787 million
defamation lawsuit, raising questions about media responsibility and public figures’
accountability.

At a Glance

● California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News.
● The suit alleges that Fox News anchor Jesse Watters broadcast a deceptively edited phone call between Newsom and President Donald Trump.
● The amount of damages sought is a direct, symbolic reference to the $787.5 million Fox News paid to settle the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit.
● Fox News has dismissed the lawsuit as a “transparent publicity stunt” and has vowed to “defend this case vigorously.”

Newsom Launches $787 Million Lawsuit Against Fox News

California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a high-stakes defamation lawsuit

against Fox News, seeking $787 million in damages. The suit, filed in Delaware Superior Court on Friday June 27, 2025, alleges that the network and its host, Jesse Watters, deliberately distorted a phone conversation between Newsom and President Donald Trump to create a false narrative.

The phone call in question, which took place on June 6, was regarding the potential deployment of National Guard troops to respond to riots in Los Angeles. Newsom’s lawsuit claims that Fox News selectively and deceptively edited the audio of the call to make it appear that he was weak and indecisive and that Trump had to pressure him into accepting federal help.

Following the “Dominion” Playbook

Newsom’s legal strategy appears to be explicitly modeled on the successful lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News. The $787 million figure is a direct and symbolic reference to the massive $787.5 million settlement Fox paid Dominion in 2023 to avoid a trial over the network’s broadcasting of false claims about the 2020 election.
In a statement posted on social media, Newsom made the connection clear. “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,” he said, according to KCCI News.

Fox News Fires Back

Fox News has responded forcefully to the lawsuit, dismissing it as a politically motivated attack. In a statement, the network said, “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,” the Fox News spokesperson added, as reported by Axios.

The legal and political battle is poised to be a major showdown.

Gavin Newsom Files $787 Million Defamation Lawsuit Against Fox News https://t.co/WJhmbwEoey

— E! News (@enews) June 27, 2025

Critics of the governor see the lawsuit as a calculated move to raise his national profile for a potential future presidential run. The case will now put the editorial decisions of the nation’s most-watched cable news network under intense legal scrutiny once again.