• California's Governor Gavin Newsom has commenced a $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News.
• Newsom alleges the network intentionally misrepresented a call he had with President Trump regarding immigration issues.
• The lawsuit claims Fox News engaged in "malicious propaganda" undermining democratic processes.
• Fox News described the lawsuit as a "frivolous" publicity stunt aimed at stifling critical speech.
• Newsom would drop the suit if Fox issues a retraction and an on-air apology from host Jesse Watters.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News, alleging that the network deliberately misrepresented his phone call with President Donald Trump. The lawsuit, lodged in Delaware where Fox is incorporated, claims the network aimed to "smear" Newsom by suggesting he lied about when the two last spoke. This was particularly significant amid rising tensions over Trump's decision to deploy National Guard troops in Los Angeles shortly after their conversation on June 6, which sparked protests related to immigration enforcement. Newsom's legal team argues such actions threaten the integrity of democracy itself, labeling Fox's conduct as "malicious propaganda," according to Los Angeles Times and HuffPost.

The lawsuit stems from comments made by Trump, who stated that he had spoken to Newsom "a day ago" regarding the deployment of National Guard troops. This statement was made on June 10, leading Newsom to refute the claim almost immediately via social media, asserting that there had been no recent call. The suit files against Fox claim that the network edited footage of Trump's comments to support its accusation of Newsom lying about the call. As a result, the governor seeks punitive damages, mirroring the $787.5 million that Fox previously settled with Dominion Voting Systems over similar defamation claims, according to Newsweek and Reuters.

In his complaint, Newsom emphasizes that the intentional misrepresentation by Fox News could severely damage his reputation and hinder his political aspirations, notably if voters perceive him as dishonest. He stated, "If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump’s behalf, it should face consequences," a sentiment echoed throughout his legal team's arguments. By maintaining the lawsuit, Newsom aims to hold Fox accountable for what he perceives as a pattern of spreading misinformation that could damage democratic processes and public trust in news media, according to India Times and ABC News.

Fox News has responded to the lawsuit by characterizing it as a "transparent publicity stunt" designed to suppress free speech critical of Newsom. The network intends to defend the case vigorously and expressed confidence that it would be dismissed. Newsom's legal action also indicates a broader context of increasing tensions between political figures and media organizations regarding accountability and factual reporting. If Fox retracts its claims and Watters issues an on-air apology, Newsom has indicated he would be willing to dismiss the lawsuit, according to SFGATE and Al Jazeera.