Bill Maher recently confronted California Governor Gavin Newsom, accusing him of attempting to mimic Donald Trump’s style during a heated discussion on Maher’s HBO show. Newsom, who has hinted at presidential aspirations for 2028, has been working to increase his public profile, partly by adopting a social media tone reminiscent of Trump’s signature insults.

Newsom, a long-standing liberal figure, has cultivated a social media presence through his press office that echoes Trump’s bold and brash communication style. This strategy was a focal point during his appearance on Maher’s “Real Time” last Friday, where Maher, who has previously expressed support for a Newsom presidential bid, questioned the governor’s tactics.

“Many people would say that you are imitating him. Of all the people who may or may not be running, you’re the one who imitates his style with the trolling,” Maher remarked, directly addressing Newsom’s approach. The conversation also touched on Newsom’s recent legal actions against Fox News for libel, a move he seemed eager to discuss.

Maher, a fan of Newsom’s who has suggested he could run for president, challenged him on this approach when speaking on Real Time Friday. 

‘Many people would say that you are imitating him. Of all the people who may or may not be running, you’re the one who imitates his style with the trolling,’ Maher said. 

He also pointed out that Newsom is now suing Fox News for libel, and Newsom responded by bragging about it. 

‘Fox better look to settle right now or apologize for defamation,’ he said.

Alarmed, Maher fired back: ‘Okay, but that sounds exactly what he does! Suing media?’ 

Bill Maher took Gavin Newsom to task for attempting to imitate Donald Trump in a tense exchange between the HBO host and the California governor

Maher, a fan of Newsom’s who has suggested he could run for president, challenged him on it when speaking on Real Time Friday

‘Well then don’t defame, don’t lie,’ Newsom replied. 

‘Okay, again! But that does sound like him!’ Maher shot back.  

Newsom attempted to explain his style on social media by claiming that he merely wanted to meet the moment. 

‘To me that’s the biggest reflection of this moment, is how…the…just the sewer that we are now living in because of Donald Trump. And he’s allowed all of us to feel free to shove again.’

The lawsuit against Fox stems from Newsom’s claims that Trump’s ‘not all there’ during their recent row over anti-ICE protests in downtown Los Angeles, when he said the president mischaracterized details of their June 6, 2025 phone call.

The governor is so adamant his side of the story is true that on Friday he sued 
Fox News in a defamation suit asking for $787 million, arguing the right-leaning network misleadingly edited a video to back Trump’s timeline.  

Newsom asked a judge to order Fox to stop broadcasting ‘the false, deceptive, and fraudulent video and accompanying statements’ that Newsom said falsely claim he lied about when he spoke to Trump regarding the situation in Los Angeles, where protests erupted on June 6 over Trump’s immigration crackdown.

The lawsuit centers on the details of the phone call with the president.

Newsom’s legal filing argues that by editing the material, Fox ‘maliciously lied as a means to sabotage informed national discussion.’

Precise details about when the call happened are important because the days when Trump deployed the Guard to Los Angeles despite Newsom’s opposition ‘represented an unprecedented moment,’ Newsom’s lawyers wrote in a letter to Fox demanding a retraction and on-air apology.

‘History was occurring in real time. It is precisely why reporters asked President Trump the very question that prompted this matter: when did he last speak with Governor Newsom,’ the letter said.

Maher seemed shocked by Newsom’s willingness to ape Trump’s style

The lawsuit stems from Newsom’s claims that Trump’s ‘not all there’ during their recent row over anti-ICE protests in downtown Los Angeles, when he said the president mischaracterized details of their June 6, 2025 phone call

‘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,’ a Fox News spokesperson told the Daily Mail.

Newsom is asking for $787 million in punitive damages in the lawsuit filed in Delaware, where Fox is incorporated.

‘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,’ Newsom said in a statement last year. 

‘I believe the American people should be able to trust the information they receive from a major news outlet.’ 

The law makes it difficult to prove defamation, but some cases result in settlements and, no matter the outcome, can tie up news outlets in expensive legal fights.

Trump, particularly since taking office a second time, has been aggressive in going after news organizations he feels has wronged him.