A US federal judge has struck down Donald Trump's $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the New York Times newspaper, citing issues with its contents.
US District Judge Steven Merryday in his ruling on Friday stated that Trump had violated a federal rule that requires applicants to outline in a short and plain statement why they deserve relief from the court.
The judge emphasized that a legal complaint is not a protected platform to rage against an adversary, and has given Trump 28 days to file an amended complaint.
Previously, Trump indicated on Truth Social that he would sue the New York Times, claiming the publication was allowed to freely lie, smear and defame me for far too long.
In response to the lawsuit, The New York Times stated that it held no merit, describing it as a tactic to suppress independent reporting. The newspaper expressed that it lacked legitimate legal claims.
Judge Merryday’s ruling described Trump’s lawsuit as repetitive and superfluous. The 85-page lawsuit, filed in federal court in Tampa, also includes Penguin Random House LLC, which published the book by Times reporters that Trump referred to as defamatory.
In his order, Merryday noted that even if Trump's allegations were proven true, the way the lawsuit was written violated court rules and was deemed decidedly improper and impermissible.
As of now, neither Trump nor his legal representation have commented on the judge's decision.
