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A federal judge in the state of Florida dismissed the $15 billion defamation lawsuit filed by president Donald Trump against the newspaper The New York Times and its editorial, deeming the case inappropriate and lacking in clarity and conciseness.
The judge Steven D. Merryday of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida labeled the 85-page complaint as "decidedly improper and inadmissible" for failing to meet federal requirements of clarity and conciseness, reported the news agency EFE.
The lawsuit accused the newspaper of widespread defamation and slander, claiming that three articles published between September and October 2024 and the book Lucky Loser: how Donald Trump squandered his father's fortune and created the illusion of success, published last year by Penguin Random House, harmed Trump's image and his presidential campaign.
In the complaint, the authors of the texts were identified as the reporters Peter Baker, Russ Buettner, Susanne Craig, and Michael S. Schmidt, and it was claimed that the publications contained false statements regarding alleged tax evasion schemes, interviews with former allies, and comparisons of the former president to a potential dictator.
Trump also sent letters to the newspaper and its editorial accusing them of acting as a “loudmouth spokesperson for the Democratic Party” and of spreading malicious falsehoods.
The New York Times and Penguin Random House denied the allegations, stating that the lawsuit was baseless and represented an attempt to suppress independent information.
This is not the first time Trump has litigated against the media: in 2018, he lost a lawsuit regarding his finances and was ordered to pay $400,000 in legal fees to the affected journalists.
The ruling reinforces the judicial protection of the American press against multimillion-dollar lawsuits based on criticism and investigative reporting, reminding us that even a former president cannot use the judicial system to intimidate media that question his record.
The White House tenant's confrontation with the media is not new and fits within his usual strategy of discrediting journalists and sowing doubts about their reports, especially when the official narrative is implausible and called into question.
In June, Trump criticized The New York Times and the CNN network, whom he described as “enemies of the country” and “bad and sick people” for publishing reports that, according to the president, “attempt to discredit the success of our pilots and make the United States look bad.”
ABC, owned by Disney, announced days ago that the show Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be suspended indefinitely, following the monologue this Monday in which the host commented on the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
According to U.S. media, the decision comes after the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Carr, harshly criticized Kimmel and threatened to "take action" against Disney and ABC.
During his intervention, Kimmel suggested the possibility that the alleged murderer, Tyler Robinson, was a Republican and supporter of Donald Trump, claiming that "the MAGA gang" was trying to portray him as something other than "one of their own" to gain political advantage.
The suspension on ABC was announced two months after CBS communicated the permanent end of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”, a decision the network attributed to “purely financial” reasons given the challenging landscape of the late-night time slot; Colbert's followers interpreted it as a punishment for his criticisms of former President Trump.
ABC did not specify how long the suspension will last or what will take the time slot of the show. Meanwhile, the debate surrounding the limits of political satire and the role of regulators regarding content broadcasted by open networks and their affiliates continues to grow.
Frequently Asked Questions about Donald Trump's Lawsuit Against The New York Times
Why was Trump's lawsuit against The New York Times dismissed?
Trump's lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge in Florida because it did not meet the federal requirements for clarity and conciseness. The judge described the 85-page complaint as "decidedly improper and inadmissible."
What was Donald Trump claiming in his lawsuit against The New York Times?
Trump accused the newspaper of defamation and slander, claiming that three articles published in 2024 and a book damaged his image and presidential campaign. The lawsuit stated that the publications contained false claims about tax evasion schemes and comparisons to a potential dictator.
How did The New York Times and Penguin Random House respond to the lawsuit?
The New York Times and Penguin Random House denied the allegations, stating that the lawsuit was unfounded and represented an attempt to suppress independent information. They argued that the case was an attack on press freedom.
What impact does this ruling have on Trump's relationship with the media?
The ruling strengthens judicial protection for the American press against multimillion-dollar lawsuits based on criticism and investigative reporting. This episode is part of Trump's ongoing confrontations with the media, which he often discredits when their reports challenge his official narrative.
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