Overview

• U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday dismissed the initial 85-page filing, saying it failed to meet pleading standards and ordering any amended complaint capped at 40 pages.
• Trump seeks $15 billion in damages, alleging intentional and malicious defamation that he says harmed his brand, business interests, media company stock and reputation.
• The Florida case targets the New York Times, reporters Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Peter Baker and Michael S. Schmidt, and Penguin Random House over three 2024 articles and a related book.
• The New York Times called the lawsuit unfounded and described it as an attempt to stifle independent reporting, pledging to continue its journalism.
• The action extends a broader campaign of high-value suits against media outlets, including a July case against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch and prior settlements with ABC, CBS and Paramount that have fueled concerns about press freedom.