skip to contentAdvertisementA Florida judge dismisses Trump’s $15B defamation suit against The New York Times; orders a shorter, 40-page amended filing within 28 days.By: Express Web Desk New Delhi,September 20, 2025 06:32 AM IST First published on: Sep 20, 2025 at 06:32 AM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookFlorida Judge Tosses Trump’s $15 Billion Lawsuit Against The New York Times (AP)A Florida federal judge on Friday dismissed President Donald Trump’s $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, ruling that the filing was overly long, repetitive, and filled with language irrelevant to the legal claims, AP reported.US District Judge Steven Merryday called Trump’s 85-page lawsuit “tedious and burdensome” and instructed him to submit an amended complaint within 28 days, limiting it to 40 pages.“A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or a podium for a passionate oration at a political rally,” Merryday wrote in his four-page order, according to AP. “This action will begin, continue, and end in accordance with the rules of procedure and in a professional and dignified manner.”Trump’s legal team said they plan to proceed with the lawsuit “in accordance with the judge’s direction on logistics,” according to spokesman Aaron Harison.The original complaint targeted four Times journalists and cited a book along with three articles published in the two months leading up to the last presidential election.In response, The New York Times called the suit meritless and politically motivated. “We welcome the judge’s quick ruling, which recognised that the complaint was a political document rather than a serious legal filing,” spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said.Merryday said that the first defamation claim did not appear until page 80 of the filing. The lawsuit also included extensive details about Trump’s work on The Apprentice and his many 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,” the judge wrote. “Although lawyers receive a modicum of expressive latitude in pleading the claim of a client, the complaint in this action extends far beyond the outer bound of that latitude.”Most ReadThe lawsuit specifically challenged reporting by Times journalists Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig on Trump’s finances and his pre-presidency role in The Apprentice. Trump argued that the reporters “maliciously peddled the fact-free narrative” that television producer Mark Burnett had turned him into a celebrity, even though he was already widely known and successful in business.Trump also contested claims regarding his early business dealings and statements about his father, Fred Trump. Additionally, the lawsuit cited a Peter Baker article from October 20, 2024, titled “For Trump, a Lifetime of Scandals Heads Toward a Moment of Judgment”, and a piece by Michael S. Schmidt from October 22, 2024, featuring former Chief of Staff John Kelly, headlined “As Election Nears, Kelly Warns Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator.”This is not Trump’s first legal battle against media outlets. He has previously sued ABC News and CBS News’ 60 Minutes, both of which were settled out of court. In July, he also filed a suit against The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The newspaper had reported on his ties to financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.(With inputs from Ap)AdvertisementAdvertisementLoading Taboola...