California Governor Gavin Newsom is turning Donald Trump’s signature insult back on him, hinting that the former president’s cognitive health may be in decline—all as part of a high-stakes $787 million defamation lawsuit filed against Fox News.
At the center of the legal firestorm is a false claim aired on Fox, where Trump stated he spoke with Newsom on June 9, despite phone records showing the call actually occurred on June 7. The discrepancy, which Newsom says was deliberately misrepresented by the network, prompted his legal team to strike back.
Newsom: Was It “Deception or Decline”?
In the legal filing, Newsom takes aim not only at Fox News but also at Trump’s mental acuity:
“It is impossible to know for certain whether President Trump’s distortion was intentionally deceptive or merely a result of his poor cognitive state,” the lawsuit reads.
The comment mirrors the same kind of attack Trump has frequently lobbed at President Biden, famously dubbing him “Sleepy Joe.” Newsom appears to be using Trump’s own tactics to undermine his credibility—suggesting forgetfulness due to old age or mental decline.
Why Newsom Is Suing Fox—Not Trump
Interestingly, Newsom is only suing Fox News, not Trump himself. His reasoning? Trump may not be “sharp enough to even know what he’s saying,” the lawsuit claims. But Newsom insists Fox knew better and intentionally edited footage to make it appear that he was lying about the date of the call.
The lawsuit argues that Fox’s broadcast edited out Trump’s original statement and cut to him confirming a call on June 9, misleading viewers into believing Newsom was not telling the truth.
Fox News Fires Back
A Fox News spokesperson dismissed the lawsuit as nothing more than political theater:
“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.”
Political Theater or Valid Case?
While it’s unclear how far Newsom’s lawsuit will go in court, it certainly escalates the political feud between high-profile Democrats and right-leaning media. It also flips the script on Trump’s long-standing attacks on the mental fitness of his political rivals—an accusation now being redirected at him.
