Trump wins major victory in Pulitzer defamation lawsuit
Share this @internewscast.com

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, Monday, May 12, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland (AP Photo/Alex Brandon).

President Donald Trump achieved a significant win in his defamation lawsuit against the Pulitzer Prize Board when a Florida court ruled in his favor regarding an immunity issue on Wednesday.

Back in January, the board tried to temporarily halt the proceedings of the case until Trump’s current term in office concludes, following an unsuccessful attempt with the trial court.

In a seven-page opinion, Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal rejected those dilatory efforts out of hand.

“The board contends that delaying the case will prevent constitutional conflicts that might arise from Trump’s participation as a plaintiff in a state court civil action on claims potentially related to his official duties as President,” the court stated. “We deny the petition and uphold the trial court’s decision.”

Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

The board argued that moving forward with the lawsuit “would now raise constitutional concerns for this court — or any other state court — to exercise ‘direct control’ over” Trump during his presidency. The motion to stay cited the supremacy and take care clauses of the U.S. Constitution in service of this argument.

“Petitioners effectively ask that the court invoke a temporary immunity under the Supremacy Clause on [Trump’s] behalf to stay this civil proceeding, even though [Trump] has not sought such relief,” the appellate court summarized. “They further allege that it would violate due process to allow [Trump] to claim constitutional entitlement to stay cases because of his office but not allow them the same ability.”

But the judges were not convinced.

On the specific question of constitutional privileges, the court notes the president has even more than the board cites in their motion.

“But such privileges are afforded to the President alone, not to his litigation adversaries,” the appellate court muses.

Taking stock of the broader concept, the court explains that other government officials — of lesser stature than the president — also enjoy “similar protections” and immunities from court proceedings.

Again, the court explains, only the privileged party is the one who can invoke the privilege in question.

“While government officials may claim the immunities and protections provided to them in court proceedings, the law is clear that such privileges are not available to third parties to claim, nor may such privileges be asserted by others on the officials’ behalf,” the opinion goes on. “The principle of standing says that, generally, one cannot assert someone else’s constitutional rights. Immunities and privileges, by their very nature, inure solely to the benefit of the individual for whom they are intended. Thus, application of a governmental immunity cannot be asserted by the Petitioners as private citizens.”

The Pulitzer Prize Board, in its appeal, justified its argument by noting how Trump himself has, on several occasions, cited constitutional protections for the president to try and pump the brakes on civil lawsuits in which he is the named defendant for non-presidential conduct. Specifically, the board cited a since-dropped lawsuit against Trump by Summer Zervos, a former contestant on The Apprentice.

The appeals court says this citation is “misplaced.”

“In Zervos, a New York court held that President Trump, as the sitting President of the United States, was not entitled to a stay in a state court action grounded in claims of defamation brought against him based on alleged actions that occurred before taking office,” the judges write.

In a separate but closely-related argument, the board also argued Trump is essentially precluded from objecting to the stay request because of similar arguments he has made — which is distinct from saying the court itself should rely on prior such arguments.

But, again, the court rejects this logic.

“These cases are not substantially similar to the one at bar to estop [Trump] from objecting to a stay,” the opinion continues. “By trying to draw parallels to those cases, Petitioners conflate situations where the President is a defendant in an action, in contrast to this case, where the President is the plaintiff. Because those cases involve situations where a President was the defendant on claims brought against him, and not a plaintiff pursuing claims initiated by him, those cases are inapposite.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Man Arrested in Connection with New York Child Sexual Battery Case

Staff report from Gainesville Police Department social media post GAINESVILLE, Fla. –…

Teenager Accused in Sydney House Party Stabbing

A teen has been charged over a stabbing at a house party…

Teenager Faces Multiple Felony Charges in Connection with Alleged Incident Involving Minor

Staff report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jack William Cheves, 18, faces charges for…

Family of woman purportedly killed by roommate initiates lawsuit

Tamilore Odunsi (GoFundMe). The family of a Texas nursing student, who was…

Khalil accuses Trump administration of engaging in ‘character assassination’

Inset: Mahmoud Khalil addressing the press (WCBS) Background: President Donald Trump listens…

Girlfriend of Bali bombing survivor has clinic targeted in arson attack

A Melbourne skin-care clinic that was firebombed overnight is owned by the…

Authorities Report Man Puts 3-Year-Old Girl into Coma Over Potty Training Dispute

The home where Amber Lee Leary”s daughter was allegedly beaten on June…

Trump Assassination Suspect Declares: ‘I Will Act as My Own Lawyer’

Left: Ryan Wesley Routh (Law&Crime). Center: U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon (U.S.…

Trump Administration Files Lawsuit Against California Over Increased Egg Prices

Left: President Donald Trump addresses a lunch gathering with African leaders in…

“Who could be responsible for this?’: Firebombing attack targets new childcare center”

A newly opened childcare centre has become the target of a firebombing…

Man Caught on Camera Before Shooting Claims Memory Loss: Police

Background: The apartment complex in Rochester, Minn. where the alleged shooting took…

E. Jean Carroll Wins Another Court Battle Against Trump

Left: E. Jean Carroll, a former magazine columnist, enters a vehicle outside…