A Florida federal judge on Friday tossed out a $22.7 billion defamation lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against The New York Times.
US District Judge Steven Merryday determined that Trump’s 85-page lawsuit was excessively lengthy and contained “tedious and burdensome” language irrelevant to the legal matter. He allowed Trump 28 days to resubmit a revised complaint limited to 40 pages.
“A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or a podium for a passionate oration at a political rally,” Merryday stated in a four-page order. “This action will proceed in accordance with the rules of procedure and in a professional and dignified manner.”
The lawsuit also attacked claims the reporters made about Trump’s early business dealings and his father, Fred.
Trump also referenced an article by Peter Baker from October 20 titled “For Trump, a Lifetime of Scandals Heads Toward a Moment of Judgment.” He filed a lawsuit against Michael S. Schmidt over a piece two days later featuring an interview with his first-term chief of staff, John Kelly, headlined “As Election Nears, Kelly Warns Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator.”
Trump has additionally sued ABC News and CBS News’ 60 Minutes, settling both out of court through the networks’ parent companies. He also sued The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch in July following a publication about his connections to wealthy financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
