Overview

• U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday dismissed the complaint as “decidedly improper and inadmissible,” citing Rule 8’s clarity and concision requirements and limiting any amended filing to 40 pages.
• The ruling criticized the suit’s political rhetoric and length without addressing the underlying defamation claims, leaving the merits unresolved.
• Trump’s lawsuit sought $15 billion and targeted The New York Times, Penguin Random House, and four Times reporters over 2024 articles and the book Lucky Loser.
• The New York Times called the case meritless and an attempt to chill independent reporting, while Penguin Random House voiced support for its authors.
• Coverage situates the case within a broader pattern of legal and regulatory pressure on media, including other suits against ABC, CBS, and The Wall Street Journal and reported FCC threats linked to ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s show.