Florida federal judge tosses Trump’s $15B defamation lawsuit against The New York Times
**Florida Judge Tosses $15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Filed by President Trump Against The New York Times**
*St. Petersburg, Fla.* — A Florida federal judge on Friday dismissed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against *The New York Times*. U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday criticized Trump’s 85-page complaint, ruling that it contained excessive “tedious and burdensome” language irrelevant to the legal claims.
“A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or a podium for a passionate oration at a political rally,” Merryday wrote in a four-page order. “This action will begin, will continue, and will end in accord with the rules of procedure and in a professional and dignified manner.”
The judge granted Trump 28 days to file an amended complaint, which should not exceed 40 pages.
### Details of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit targeted four *Times* journalists over a book and three articles published within two months prior to the last presidential election. *The New York Times* called the lawsuit meritless and described it as an attempt to intimidate independent reporting.
“We welcome the judge’s quick ruling, which recognized that the complaint was a political document rather than a serious legal filing,” said *Times* spokesman Charlie Stadtlander.
Judge Merryday pointed out that the complaint did not reach the first defamation claim until page 80. Much of the lawsuit delves into Trump’s work on the television show *The Apprentice* and includes an “extensive list” of Trump’s other media appearances.
“As every lawyer knows (or is presumed to know), a complaint is not a public forum for vituperation and invective — not a protected platform to rage against an adversary,” Merryday wrote. The judge, appointed by former President George H.W. Bush, added that while lawyers have some expressive latitude when pleading a claim, Trump’s complaint “extends far beyond the outer bound of that latitude.”
### Contentious Claims
The lawsuit named a book and an article written by *Times* reporters Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig. The focus was on Trump’s finances and his pre-presidency role in *The Apprentice*.
Trump alleged that the reporters “maliciously peddled the fact-free narrative” that television producer Mark Burnett was responsible for turning him into a celebrity, “even though at and prior to the time of publications defendants knew that President Trump was already a mega-celebrity and an enormous success in business.”
The complaint also contested claims made about Trump’s early business dealings and his father, Fred Trump.
Additionally, Trump cited an article by Peter Baker published October 20, titled *“For Trump, a Lifetime of Scandals Heads Toward a Moment of Judgment.”* He also sued Michael S. Schmidt over a October 22 article featuring an interview with Trump’s first-term chief of staff John Kelly, entitled *“As Election Nears, Kelly Warns Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator.”*
### Related Legal Actions
Trump has filed similar defamation lawsuits against ABC News and CBS News’ *60 Minutes*, both of which were settled out of court by the parent companies of the news organizations.
In July, Trump also sued *The Wall Street Journal* and media mogul Rupert Murdoch following the newspaper’s reporting on his ties to the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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https://www.phillytrib.com/news/florida-federal-judge-tosses-trumps-15b-defamation-lawsuit-against-the-new-york-times/article_8d986a92-eab4-4d7f-adfb-6bdbad386b00.html
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