On Friday, a federal judge threw out Donald Trump’s $15 billion lawsuit against the New York Times. The judge cited violation of procedural rules as grounds for the dismissal. The suit alleged that the newspaper had become a “mouthpiece” of the Democratic Party. It asserted that the article published false and defamatory material regarding the ex-president.
The judge further made it evident that complaints need to conform to a federal standard. He needed a “short not plain statement” of the claim in each case. For one, he reminded everyone that a legal complaint is not the proper forum for name-calling and vitriol. It cannot be a tool through which to express one’s ire at an adversary. Unfortunately, the court ultimately dismissed the case on procedural grounds. Most importantly, though, it drove home the need for clarity and brevity in legal briefs.
The suit Trump initially filed against the New York Times was aimed at these specific articles written by NYT reporters. It specifically mentioned the written work of two of those same reporters. We released the book to prepare for the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Trump cited it as one of the 700+ main pieces of material in her content providing defamatory statements. Trump demanded $355 million in damages, alleging that the coverage damaged his reputation and political career.
Though the dismissal was granted, the judge permitted Trump to amend his complaint. This important ruling nevertheless gives him another chance to amend his allegations. He should be able to refile them under the court’s standards. Further, the judge’s order indicated that plaintiff’s first filing really didn’t cut it. It did let Trump keep pursuing legal action against the New York Times and its individual reporters.
The case marks the largest scale legal standoff between Trump and one of the country’s top newspaper publishers. It additionally serves as a reminder of the current, and growing, antagonism between elected leaders and the press — especially concerning the critical issues of press freedom and accountability.