Mega lawsuit fails

Censorship attempt fails: court rejects Trump’s claim

The gigantic amount of compensation that Trump demanded from the New York Times would probably have meant the end of the world-famous newspaper if he had been successful.(Bild: AFP/SAUL LOEB)

A US federal judge has dismissed former President Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against the New York Times. Judge Steven D. Merryday of the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida ruled on Friday that the 85-page complaint "unmistakably and inexcusably" violated the rules for civil lawsuits.

According to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a complaint must contain a "short, plain and direct statement of facts". Trump's submission, on the other hand, was "inadmissible" and "inappropriate". Merryday made it clear that a statement of claim should not be a "forum for invective" or a "megaphone for public relations".

Trump wanted 15 billion in damages
Trump had sued the New York Times, several of its reporters and the publisher Penguin Random House and demanded 15 billion dollars (12.69 billion euros) in damages. In the letter, he described the newspaper as a "mouthpiece of the Democrats", among other things. Several references were also made to other media lawsuits filed by Trump.

Deadline for Trump, Times defensive
The judge granted Trump's lawyers a deadline of one month to re-file the lawsuit - but then in a maximum of 40 pages. A spokesperson for the Trump team announced that they would do so.

Media law experts had already assessed the lawsuit as hopeless when it was filed and considered it to be more of a PR measure. Joe Kahn, editor-in-chief of the New York Times, said in an appearance this week that Trump was "wrong on the facts and wrong on the law". They will defend themselves "and win".