FACT CHECK: No, Fox News Did Not Report That Newsom Will Withhold California’s Federal Income Tax

A post made on Facebook claims Fox News reported that Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom plans to withhold California’s $235 billion federal income tax.

Verdict: False

Fox News did not report on this claim. The claim was originally posted as satire.

Fact Check:

Social media users are sharing an image of Newsom and claims that Fox News reported that Newsom plans to withhold California’s $235 billion federal income tax. One such post includes an image with text that reads, “BREAKING FOX NEWS: Reliable sources are reporting that California governor Gavin Newsom will withhold California’s 235 billion dollar 2025 federal income tax. This is a developing story.”

The claim is false. There is no evidence to show Fox News reported on this claim. A Fox News spokesperson told Check Your Fact that “Fox News did not report this.” (RELATED: Is California Governor Gavin Newsom Considering Plans To Secede From The Union?)

The claim was originally posted as satire. Parody X account Staff Sergeant Johnson made a post on X that reads, “BREAKING FOX NEWS: Reliable sources are reporting that California governor Gavin Newsom will withhold California’s 235 billion dollar 2025 federal income tax. This is a developing story.”

The Staff Sergeant Johnson bio reads, “I’m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude at Bluesky as PatMaguire10 and still a Raw Unfiltered Parody Account.”

The satirical post claims that Newsom plans to withhold federal income tax dollars. State governments do not have the ability to collect or withhold federal taxes. State governments can only withhold state income taxes.

Check Your Fact has reached out to California’s Office of the Governor for comment.