Former President Donald Trump filed a defamation lawsuit against CNN, alleging that the cable news outlet has recently intensified a campaign of libel and slander against him out of concern that he’ll seek re-election in 2024.
According to the lawsuit, which was filed on Monday in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, CNN has tried to tarnish Trump “with a series of ever-more scandalous, false, and defamatory labels of “racist,” “Russian lackey,” “insurrectionist,” and ultimately “Hitler.”
Trump is seeking at least $475 million in damages, according to the filing.
“Beyond simply highlighting any negative information about the plaintiff and ignoring all positive information about him, CNN has sought to use its massive influence — purportedly as a ‘trusted’ news source — to defame the plaintiff in the minds of its viewers and readers for the purpose of defeating him politically,” Trump’s lawyers wrote.
CNN didn’t immediately respond to an email requesting comment on the lawsuit.
Trump hasn’t shied away from suing his perceived enemies since leaving office, though he’s had limited success. His lawsuit accusing his 2016 election rival Hillary Clinton and dozens of others of conspiring against him with allegedly fake Russia claims was tossed out by a federal judge in Florida last month.
The case is Trump v. Cable News Network Inc., 0:22-cv-61842, US District Court, Southern District of Florida (Fort Lauderdale).
Leave a Reply