5 Bombshell Revelations From Jesse Watters' Texts That Rocked Fox News

The private text messages of prominent Fox News host Jesse Watters became a central point of public scrutiny and controversy in early 2023, primarily due to their unsealing as part of the massive $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit brought against the network by Dominion Voting Systems. These internal communications, dated from the turbulent period following the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, offered a rare and unfiltered look behind the scenes, exposing the dissonance between the network's on-air rhetoric and the personal beliefs of its biggest stars. As of December 10, 2025, the fallout from these revelations continues to define the public perception of Watters and the internal dynamics of the cable news giant. The texts, which included exchanges with colleagues like Greg Gutfeld and Pete Hegseth, revealed a calculated strategy by some Fox personalities to manage the network's audience while privately expressing skepticism about the very election fraud claims they were often seen discussing. The documents provided a crucial pillar for Dominion's case, suggesting the network knowingly broadcast false information, a claim Fox News ultimately settled for a staggering $787.5 million just before the trial was set to begin.

Jesse Watters: A Comprehensive Biography and Profile

Jesse Bailey Watters is one of the most recognizable and often controversial figures in American cable news, known for his conservative commentary and his rise from a production assistant to a primetime host on Fox News. His career trajectory is closely tied to the network, where he has cultivated a reputation for provocative interviews and commentary.

• Full Name: Jesse Bailey Watters
• Date of Birth: July 9, 1978
• Age (as of 2025): 47
• Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
• Education: Trinity College (B.A. in History, 2001)
• Career Start: Began at Fox News as a production assistant for *The O'Reilly Factor*
• Current Roles: Host of *Jesse Watters Primetime* (weeknights at 7 PM/ET) and Co-host of *The Five*
• Previous Roles: Host of *Watters' World* (2015–2022) and a correspondent on *The O'Reilly Factor*
• Spouse: Emma DiGiovine (m. 2019); Previously married to Noelle K. Inguagiato (m. 2009; div. 2019)
• Children: Three (two with his first wife, one with his current wife)
• Book: *How I Saved the World* (2021) - A #1 *New York Times* Bestseller
• Political Stance: Conservative political commentator

Watters' ascent within Fox News has been marked by his ability to connect with a conservative audience, often through segments that blend political commentary with humor and lighthearted, man-on-the-street interviews. His move into the coveted primetime slot with *Jesse Watters Primetime* cemented his status as one of the network's most important voices, inheriting a slot once held by Bill O'Reilly.

The Dominion Lawsuit and the Private Text Disclosures

The defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News was the catalyst for the public release of Watters' internal communications. Dominion argued that Fox News knowingly aired false claims that the company’s voting machines were used to rig the 2020 presidential election against Donald Trump. The private texts and emails of Fox executives and hosts, including Watters, became the smoking gun in the case, illustrating that key personnel did not believe the claims being broadcast to millions of viewers. The discovery process in the lawsuit compelled Fox News to hand over a massive trove of internal documents. These documents revealed a fear among network leadership and hosts that debunking the election fraud claims would alienate their core audience, leading to a ratings disaster and a migration of viewers to more fringe news outlets. This concern over audience retention, not journalistic integrity, was cited by Dominion as the motive for continuing to platform guests who promoted the false narratives.

"Think He Is Going to Lose": The Skepticism Revealed

One of the most damaging and widely cited texts attributed to Jesse Watters was an exchange with his colleague, Greg Gutfeld, on December 5, 2020. This text offered a clear contrast to the public narrative that was dominating Fox News at the time. The text allegedly read: "Think [Trump] is going to lose." This brief, candid assessment was a significant revelation because, at that time, Watters and his colleagues were frequently hosting segments that either lent credence to or failed to aggressively challenge the claims of a stolen election. The text suggested that Watters privately held a belief—that Donald Trump would not win the election—which was at odds with the pro-Trump, anti-fraud narrative that was popular with the network's base. The revelation highlighted the internal conflict between the hosts' personal views and the perceived demands of their audience.

Vowing 'Revenge' and Election Theft Claims

Another set of texts further complicated the public's understanding of Watters' political motivations and private exchanges. In a message to his former Fox News colleague, now-Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Watters allegedly expressed a commitment to political retribution. In this exchange, Watters reportedly vowed to get "revenge" on Democrats, a sentiment that speaks to the highly partisan atmosphere within the network. More critically, the message to Hegseth also included the statement that the 2020 election was "stolen." While the message about Trump's loss to Gutfeld suggested private skepticism, this text to Hegseth indicated that Watters was also capable of adopting the "stolen election" narrative in private communications, suggesting a complex and perhaps contradictory set of private beliefs or a willingness to engage in the rhetoric of the network's most fervent viewers. This duality became a major talking point for critics.

Internal Network Turmoil and Trashing Bosses

Beyond the 2020 election claims, other leaked text messages attributed to Watters painted a picture of internal turmoil and dissatisfaction with the network's management. Reports indicated that Watters "trashed his bosses" in some of the leaked communications, providing a rare behind-the-scenes peek at the often-strained relationship between on-air talent and network executives. These texts suggested a level of frustration with the corporate environment at Fox News, echoing similar sentiments found in the communications of other high-profile hosts like Tucker Carlson. The revelations demonstrated that the network's stars were not monolithic in their views and were often critical of the decisions and direction coming from the top. The existence of these texts added a layer of human drama to the legal proceedings, showcasing the high-stakes, high-stress environment of cable news.

The Aftermath: Watters' Continued Primetime Success

Despite the highly publicized nature of the text message leaks and the subsequent settlement of the Dominion lawsuit, Jesse Watters' career at Fox News has not only endured but thrived. His show, *Jesse Watters Primetime*, continues to pull in massive ratings, often ranking as the highest-rated cable news program in its time slot. This resilience highlights a significant reality in the cable news landscape: the loyalty of the audience often supersedes controversies involving internal communications or legal challenges. Watters has occasionally addressed the topic of text messages in a lighter context on his shows, notably through a recurring segment where he reads "mom texts" from his mother, a move that often injects humor and relatability into his persona, perhaps as a way to contrast the serious, leaked texts with more benign, everyday communications. This strategy of using personal anecdotes and humor helps to maintain his connection with the viewers and navigate the controversies that surround his public and private life. The controversy over the leaked texts serves as a stark reminder of the intense pressure on cable news hosts to balance their personal beliefs with the expectations of their audience and the commercial interests of their network. While the Dominion lawsuit has concluded, the texts remain a permanent part of the public record, offering an invaluable, if unflattering, glimpse into the inner workings of one of the world's most influential news organizations. The entities involved—Dominion Voting Systems, Fox News Media, Greg Gutfeld, and the 2020 election claims—are all interconnected in this critical chapter of modern media history.