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Libel and slander

Trump Refiles Defamation Lawsuit Against The New York Times

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

President Trump has refiled his defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and several of its reporters, just days after a federal judge threw out the original 85-page complaint as unnecessarily lengthy and discursive. The president claims the news organization sought to defame him during the 2024 election and disparage his reputation as a businessman. Trump's revised legal filing, which is 40 pages long, asks for $15 billion in damages and names Penguin Random House as a defendant. This is the latest in a series of actions against major news outlets, following settlements with CBS News and ABC News.

Key Takeaways:

  • The original 85-page complaint was dismissed by Judge Steven D. Merryday for being "unnecessarily discursive" and "laden with florid and enervating" prose.
  • Trump's revised complaint is 40 pages long, a significant reduction in length.
  • The defendant list has been revised, with Times reporter Michael S. Schmidt no longer being named.
  • The amended complaint still seeks $15 billion in damages, the same amount as the original complaint.
  • Trump's lawsuit is one of several actions against major news outlets, including CBS News and ABC News.
  • Trump's complaint argues that The Times sought to undermine his reputation as a successful businessman and television star of "The Apprentice."

Statistics:

  • The original complaint was 85 pages long, while the revised complaint is 40 pages long.
  • The amount of damages sought in the revised complaint is $15 billion, the same as the original complaint.
  • Trump has been involved in three defamation lawsuits against The Times: this one, a suit in 2021 over an article on his financial history, and a suit in 2020 over an Opinion essay.

Sources:

  • Judge Steven D. Merryday, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida;
  • The New York Times;
  • Penguin Random House;
  • CBS News;
  • ABC News;
  • President George H.W. Bush (for information on Judge Merryday's appointment).

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