A federal judge has dismissed President Trump’s $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times, saying the lengthy campaign-style diatribe against the newspaper wasn’t professional or proper in a court of law.
Judge Steven Merryday, a George H.W. Bush appointee to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, did give the president 28 days to file a more staid lawsuit.
“A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or a podium for a passionate oration at a political rally or the functional equivalent of the Hyde Park Speakers’ Corner,” the judge scolded on Friday.
He added: “This action will begin, will continue, and will end in accord with the rules of procedure and in a professional and dignified manner.”
Mr. Trump sued the newspaper for defamation after articles examining his pre-presidency life and purported scandals surrounding it.
Mr. Trump said in his lawsuit that the paper and reporters ignored his “mega-celebrity” status and delivered a “fact-free narrative.”
The new complaint must be kept to 40 pages.
“President Trump will continue to hold the Fake News accountable through this powerhouse lawsuit against The New York Times, its reporters and Penguin Random House, in accordance with the judge’s direction on logistics,” a spokesperson from Mr. Trump’s legal team said.
According to CNN, a spokesperson from The New York Times said they “welcome the judge’s quick ruling, which recognized that the complaint was a political document rather than a serious legal filing.”
In the complaint, Mr. Trump took issue with the fact that The Times endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on its front page during the 2024 election.
The complaint says the American people saw through The Times’ alleged falsehoods that it printed about Mr. Trump, which was reflected by the election results.
The lawsuit says that in September 2024, Penguin published a book titled “Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success,” which Mr. Trump says is defamatory.
The Times ran articles from the book, according to the court document.
The lawsuit targeted Penguin Random House and four New York Times reporters.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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