Overview

• U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday in Tampa struck the 85-page complaint as overly long and improper under the federal rule requiring a short, plain statement.
• The order criticized the filing as “not a megaphone for public relations” and said any amended complaint must conform to procedural standards.
• The lawsuit targets The New York Times, several of its reporters, and Penguin Random House over articles and the 2024 book “Lucky Loser.”
• The New York Times has said it will not settle, with executive editor Joseph Kahn asserting the case is wrong on the facts and the law.
• Trump’s team signaled it will refile, as First Amendment experts widely questioned the suit’s strength under the ‘actual malice’ standard for public figures.