Fox News' Jesse Watters forced into embarrassing walkback over Gavin Newsom claims
The host walked back accusations that the governor lied about a phone call with President Donald Trump during the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.
'He didn't deceive anybody on purpose, so I'm sorry, he wasn't lying. He was just confusing and unclear. Next time, governor, why don't you say what you mean?' the MAGA-favorite said.
Last month, the governor filed a $787 million defamation lawsuit against Watters and Fox News, accusing Primetime of misleadingly editing a video of Trump to support the claim.
Jesse Watters reluctantly apologized for the claim he made about California Governor Gavin Newsom (Jesse Watters Primetime/X)
Newsom's attorneys said Watters aired a deceptively edited clip of Trump suggesting he spoke with the governor just before the president mobilized the U.S. Marines on June 9, when, in fact, records show the call occurred days earlier.
Newsom's lawyers argued in the complaint that by making the call appear more recent, Trump could falsely imply he and the governor discussed the troop deployment to LA.
The governor, however, had already said publicly that he spoke to Trump after midnight on June 7, and the military was not discussed.
Trump sent Fox News anchor John Roberts a screenshot showing the June 7 date of the phone call, but the image used on the show omitted the timestamp.
'Gavin lied about Trump's call,' the Fox News banner blared.
Gavin Newsom (left) and Donald Trump spoke on the phone on June 7 about the immigration protests erupting in Los Angeles (AP)
Newsom said they did not speak after June 7 and refuted the claim in a post on X.
'There was no call,' Newsom tweeted on June 10. 'Not even a voicemail. Americans should be alarmed that a President deploying Marines onto our streets doesn't even know who he's talking to.'
After filing the lawsuit on June 28 in a Delaware court, Newsom's lawyers said they would drop the case if the governor received a retraction and a formal on-air apology.
During his grudging apology Thursday, Watters told viewers he believed Newsom's X post asserted that the two had not spoken at all.
'We thought the dispute was about whether there was a phone call at all when he said without qualification that there was no call,' he said. 'Now Newsom's telling us what was in his head when he wrote the tweet.'
After Watters's concession, Newsom showed little sign of remorse or backing down.
'Discovery will be fun,' he said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. 'See you in court, buddy.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
11 minutes ago
Senate confirms former Fox News host Pirro as top federal prosecutor for the nation's capital
WASHINGTON -- The Senate has confirmed former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as the top federal prosecutor for the nation's capital, filling the post after President Donald Trump withdrew his controversial first pick, conservative activist Ed Martin Jr. Pirro, a former county prosecutor and elected judge, was confirmed 50-45. Before becoming the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia in May, she co-hosted the Fox News show 'The Five' on weekday evenings, where she frequently interviewed Trump. Trump yanked Martin's nomination after a key Republican senator said he could not support him due to Martin's outspoken support for rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Martin now serves as the Justice Department's pardon attorney. In 2021, voting technology company Smartmatic USA sued Fox News, Pirro and others for spreading false claims that the company helped 'steal' the 2020 presidential election from Trump. The company's libel suit, filed in a New York state court, sought $2.7 billion from the defendants. Last month, Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to send Pirro's nomination to the Senate floor after Democrats walked out to protest Emil Bove's nomination to become a federal appeals court judge. Pirro, a 1975 graduate of Albany Law School, has significantly more courtroom experience than Martin, who had never served as a prosecutor or tried a case before taking office in January. She was elected as a judge in New York's Westchester County Court in 1990 before serving three terms as the county's elected district attorney. In the final minutes of his first term as president, Trump issued a pardon to Pirro's ex-husband, Albert Pirro, who was convicted in 2000 on conspiracy and tax evasion charges.
Business Upturn
an hour ago
- Business Upturn
Why China is pursuing Taiwan: Geopolitical objectives, potential outcomes, and public theories explained
Over the past decade, China's rhetoric, military build-up, diplomatic pressure, and policy strategy surrounding Taiwan have intensified—leading many to question whether a full-scale capture of Taiwan is inevitable. This analysis explores China's motivations, what would change if control is established, and the dominant geopolitical narratives discussing this issue. 1. Historical and ideological roots Civil War legacy: Taiwan is governed by the Republic of China (ROC), which emerged victorious in a 1912–1949 civil war. China's Communist Party established the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 and has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under Beijing's jurisdiction. Article 8 of China's 2005 Anti‑Secession Law formalizes this. National reunification principle: The PRC's official policy—'one China' and Xi Jinping's 'peaceful reunification' under the 'one country, two systems' framework—frames Taiwan as a breakaway province rather than a separate international entity. Political legitimacy: Taiwanese unification is a powerful domestic symbol for the CCP, often used in propagating nationalism and consolidating Xi's political mandate internal to China. 2. Strategic and economic incentives a. Strategic position and power projection Military anchoring in the First Island Chain: Taiwan sits on the so-called 'first island chain,' providing strategic depth in the Western Pacific. Controlling it would significantly extend China's naval and air capabilities, reducing US forward-operating access. Maritime chokepoint control: The Taiwanese straits are adjacent to vital shipping lanes—roughly 60 per cent of Asian maritime trade flows through nearby corridors. Chinese dominance over Taiwan would strengthen its hold over the South China Sea's commercial arteries. b. Technological and economic gain Semiconductor supremacy: Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world's largest semiconductor foundry, responsible for over 50 per cent of global chip fabrication. Full integration could accelerate China's ambitions in semiconductor independence and technological parity. Supply chain control: Taiwan plays a central role in global supply chains—particularly in electronics and green technology manufacturing. Its absorption would give China a critical advantage in these sectors. 3. What would change if China controls Taiwan? a. Shifts in global security and balances of power Decline of US strategic influence in Asia: Losing Taiwan would seriously weaken Washington's ability to project force in the Western Pacific and could unravel alliances with Japan, Korea, and Australia. Expansion of China's 'kill‑chain' reach: Models show that with Taiwan under PRC control, air-and-missile denial coverage expands, forcing US bases like Guam or the Philippines to operate at reduced effectiveness. b. Global economic fallout Unprecedented disruption: Even a brief conflict or aggressive blockade over Taiwan could cost the world economy over $10 trillion—short-term shocks similar to, or bigger than, the Ukraine war or 2008 financial crisis. Impact on capital and technology: Taiwan is a key conduit for foreign-invested capital and advanced microelectronics. Its loss could throttle foreign inflows, affecting Beijing's broader innovation-driven growth strategy. c. Political and cultural consequences Erosion of democratic autonomy: Taiwan's integration would mean dissolving its democratic institutions, curtailing civil liberties, and subsuming it under the PRC's authoritarian model—something sharply resisted by approximately 90 per cent of Taiwanese people. Continued 'political warfare': China would likely escalate its cognitive warfare campaigns—disinformation, political infiltration, propaganda—aimed at conditioning Taiwanese public opinion to accept Beijing's supremacy. 4. Public and strategic theories on Beijing's motivations Theory / Framework Key Idea Source Great Power Assertion Annexing Taiwan reinforces China's self-declared status as a leading global power, challenging the U.S.-led world order. Reddit , Wikipedia , Barron's 'Cognitive Warfare' Mastery Over time, China could annex Taiwan without force by eroding public will through propaganda and election manipulation. TIME , Wikipedia 'Anaconda Strategy' Beijing applies gradual diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to strangle Taipei's autonomy before physically seizing control. Council on Foreign Relations , Small Wars Journal Premptive Window Strategy Some Western analysts argue China might strike before U.S. internal political changes reduce deterrence or alliances weaken. Reddit , , Domestic Consolidation Taiwan serves as a rallying symbol at home, diverting attention from domestic issues and strengthening leadership legitimacy. Reddit , Small Wars Journal 5. Challenges and limits to a Taiwan takeover Massive military cost and human toll: Models show an amphibious invasion would be extraordinarily difficult—due to Taiwan's terrain, US and allied intervention, and Taiwan's own reserve mobilization plan. Economic blowback: China would face isolation from global markets, capital outflows, and loss of critical technology access—particularly in high-end semiconductors and foreign investment. Domestic risk amid PLA reforms: Xi's ongoing military leadership reshuffle raises questions about the People's Liberation Army's readiness for such a complex operation. 6. What the international community is doing US deterrence doctrine: US policymakers advocate a 'reassure and deter' framework—maintaining ambiguous support for Taiwan's defense while discouraging aggressive PRC action. Allied formation in the Indo-Pacific: Countries like Australia and Japan have pledged closer defense cooperation. A US congressional delegation is visiting Taiwan to reaffirm support. Taiwan civilian readiness: Under the 'Territorial Defense Force' model, Taiwan is enhancing its reserve system and investing in low-cost mobile defense weapons to make occupation prohibitively costly. Conclusion China views Taiwan as integral to its national identity and global power projection plan, but control requires overcoming immense global and domestic resistance. Economic gain and strategic depth are key motivators, yet the full takeover presents massive economic and geopolitical costs, including undermining Beijing's longer-term modernization strategy. Multiple scholarly frameworks—from great power theory to cognitive and political warfare—explain why China may pursue Taiwan even short of war. International deterrents and Taiwan's own resilience planning are central to preventing conflict, although no one can accurately predict Beijing's next move. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Vipul Sipani is a qualified IT professional with over eight years of active working experience. He is a trained web technologist and a certified Ethical Hacker v8 security analyst. Vipul has also been a consultant with the detection and prevention of cyber crimes, with the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell (CCIC) of Rajasthan State Police. Vipul is currently working as editor-in-chief at and he is reachable on [email protected]
Epoch Times
2 hours ago
- Epoch Times
Senate Confirms Former Fox News Host Jeanine Pirro as US Attorney for DC
US Politics The vote went 50–45, with no Senate Democrats voting to confirm Pirro as the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Senate, on Aug. 2, confirmed former Fox News host and political commentator Jeanine Pirro to serve as the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. The Saturday evening vote fell along party lines, with 50 Republicans supporting Pirro's confirmation, and 45 Democrats voting against it. Three Republicans and two Democrats did not vote.
