Newly unredacted filings in the $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit brought by voting technology company Smartmatic against Fox News have revealed private messages sent by Fox personalities and executives in the weeks after the 2020 presidential election.
The communications, disclosed through court filings, shed light on how some of the network’s most prominent figures discussed the fraud claims they later covered on air.
Fox News has consistently denied Smartmatic’s allegations. In court filings and public statements, the network has argued that it was reporting on “newsworthy” statements made by the president and his lawyers, not endorsing them.
Why It Matters
The newly disclosed text messages go to the heart of Smartmatic’s defamation case against Fox News, highlighting a disconnect between the private doubts of network hosts and the on-air amplification of election fraud claims.
For Smartmatic, the contrast supports its argument that Fox acted with “actual malice” by prioritizing ratings and audience retention over verified reporting. For Fox, the lawsuit tests its defense that covering statements from a sitting president and his lawyers was protected, newsworthy journalism.
The case follows Fox’s earlier $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems in 2023, which also centered on the network’s coverage of election fraud claims. Unlike Dominion, Smartmatic operates primarily outside the United States, but the company alleges that Fox’s broadcasts caused significant reputational and financial harm.
The outcome could have broad implications for how courts weigh press freedom against accountability for misinformation in high-stakes political coverage.
What the Texts Showed
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Jesse Watters on Ratings and “Stop the Steal”
One of the most widely cited revelations concerns Fox News host Jesse Watters. On December 5, 2020, Watters allegedly texted colleague Greg Gutfeld: “Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went ALL in on STOP THE STEAL.”
The comment, included in Smartmatic’s filings, appears to suggest Watters was weighing the ratings implications of amplifying election fraud narratives. According to The Washington Post, Watters later testified under oath that he had seen “no evidence that Smartmatic Technology switched votes in the 2020 Election in the United States.”
In another November 2020 exchange with producer Megan Albano, Watters described “an audience uprising vs. Fox like I’ve never seen” after the network’s decision to call Arizona for Joe Biden. In separate texts to colleagues, he referred to Trump lawyer Sidney Powell as having “lost it” and being “radioactive now” because “[w]hat she is peddling is out there.”
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Jeanine Pirro Texts About ‘Helping Trump’
Smartmatic’s filings also reference messages from other Fox figures. Jeanine Pirro, then hosting Justice with Judge Jeanine, allegedly texted in November 2020 about “helping Trump while at Fox News,” according to the company’s motion.
“I work so hard for the party across the country,” Pirro texted then-Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel, according to the court filing. “I’m the Number 1 watched show on all news cable all weekend. I work so hard for the President and party.”
Bret Baier’s Desire to ‘Fact-Check’
Bret Baier, anchor of Special Report, expressed concerns over misinformation, the court filing said.
In a November 2020 text, Baier wrote Fox News Media president and executive editor Jay Wallace that “None of that is true as far as we can tell,” when confronted with fraud allegations being promoted on-air. “We need to fact-check this crap.”
Fox News Skepticism
Other hosts expressed skepticism about Powell. According to the filings, Sean Hannity referred to her assertions as “insane,” while Laura Ingraham texted Hannity and Tucker Carlson that Powell was “a complete nut” and said, “no one will work with her.”
Maria Bartiromo shared claims from Trump’s legal team about Smartmatic with Fox colleagues while acknowledging privately that the information was “not verified.” Rupert Murdoch, chairman of Fox Corporation, texted an executive in November 2020 that it was “really bad” Giuliani was allowed on air with unverified claims about Smartmatic.
Fox’s Response
In court filings and public statements, Fox has argued that it was reporting on “newsworthy” statements made by the president and his lawyers, not endorsing them.
In May 2025, the Associated Press reported that a New York appeals court allowed Fox to access Smartmatic records related to a bribery case in the Philippines, which the network has argued supports its defense that Smartmatic’s reputational issues predate its 2020 election coverage.
What People Are Saying
Fox News said in a statement: “The evidence shows that Smartmatic’s business and reputation were badly suffering long before any claims by President Trump’s lawyers on FOX News and that Smartmatic grossly inflated its damage claims to generate headlines and chill free speech. Now, in the aftermath of Smartmatic’s executives getting indicted for bribery charges, we are eager and ready to continue defending our press freedoms.”
Smartmatic alleges the network: “amplified false election fraud claims as a strategic response to viewer backlash” after calling Arizona for Joe Biden.
What Happens Next
The case, still moving through New York courts, will test the limits of defamation law as it intersects with political coverage and press freedom. No trial date has yet been set, but proceedings could extend into 2026 given the scope of evidence and pre-trial motions.
