(The Epoch Times)—California Gov. Gavin Newsom has filed a $787 million lawsuit against Fox News claiming the company defamed him through its coverage of a phone call between the governor and President Donald Trump.
“No more lies,” Newsom wrote on social media platform X on June 27, confirming news of the lawsuit. “I’m suing Fox News for $787 million.”
The governor seeks damages for what he claims were lies about a phone call with the president. He has also asked the court for an order to stop Fox News from broadcasting or posting segments that say Newsom lied about the call.
Newsom also sent a letter to Fox News, demanding that it issue a retraction and that host Jesse Walters issue an on-air apology about the call. If the news company and Walters meet those conditions, Newsom will drop the lawsuit.
Newsom’s latest legal action against Trump was done in a personal capacity, one of his official spokespersons, Brandon Richards, told The Epoch Times.
Rumors of a possible presidential run for Newsom have swirled in recent years, though he has denied any intention of entering the 2028 race. However, the governor hinted at the possibility in an interview with the Wall Street Journal for a profile published on June 10.
“I’m not thinking about running, but it’s a path that I could see unfold,” he said.
Fox News reported earlier this month that Newsom had lied when he claimed he did not get a call from Trump.
Trump shared with Fox News an alleged screenshot of a call the president said he had with the governor about the Los Angeles riots, dated 1:23 a.m. on June 7, that lasted 16 minutes.
“There was no call. Not even a voicemail,” Newson wrote in a June 10 post on X.
Fox News responded Friday to the lawsuit, calling it a “publicity stunt.”
“Gov. Newsom’s transparent publicity stunt is frivolous and designed to chill free speech critical of him,” a Fox News spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email. “We will defend this case vigorously and look forward to it being dismissed.”
Reuters contributed to this report.