Fox News accuses Smartmatic of destroying key evidence in $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit

In 2021, a major legal battle commenced between Fox News and Smartmatic, a voting technology company, over allegations of defamation stemming from Fox's coverage of the 2020 presidential election. Smartmatic alleges that Fox News falsely claimed that their voting machines were involved in election fraud, leading to significant losses in business and reputational damage. In May 2025, Fox News filed a request for sanctions against Smartmatic, asserting that the company had deleted critical evidence, particularly mobile messaging data, which could undermine Smartmatic’s claims regarding damages. This allegation came just after Smartmatic accused Fox News of deleting its own evidence, leading to a tit-for-tat exchange of accusations in court. The ongoing lawsuit, seeking $2.7 billion in damages, intensifies as both sides submit filings to the court countering each other's accusations of evidence deletion. As of now, there is no trial date set, and the case has evolved into a contentious dispute highlighting issues around spoliation of evidence and accountability in media reporting during a politically charged environment. Both parties remain engaged in lengthy legal motions, navigating the complexities of defamation and the consequences of their respective actions leading up to and following the 2020 election.