President Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and four of its reporters accusing them of undermining his candidacy ahead of the 2024 election has been dismissed. The court took issue with his lawyers essentially grandstanding in the complaint.
“The complaint is decidedly improper and impermissible,” wrote U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday in the order issued on Friday. He pointed to “tedious and burdensome aggregation of prospective evidence, for the rehearsal of tendentious arguments” and “protracted recitation and explanation of legal authority.”
A chunk of the 85-page lawsuit is dedicated to arguments that “legacy media” is a “mouthpiece for the Democratic Party” and cites Trump’s achievements in real estate, entertainment and politics. It includes images of his TV ratings, Trump Tower and promotional materials of The Apprentice.
Trump’s lawyers will be allowed to refile the lawsuit, though it will be limited to 40 pages. The court didn’t rule on the merit of any of the claims.
“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, who was appointed by former president George H.W. Bush, wrote. “A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or a podium for a passionate oration at a political rally or the functional equivalent of the Hyde Park Speakers’ Corner.”
The four Times journalists named in the lawsuit are investigative reporters Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner, who wrote the book Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, as well as Washington D.C. correspondent Michael S. Schmidt and White House correspondent Peter Baker.
The lawsuit seeks at least $15 billion and brings claims for defamation. It was filed by Alejandro Brito, who’s handled other media lawsuits for Trump.