US judge strikes Donald Trump's $15 billion lawsuit against New York Times, with leave to amend, court filing shows

US judge strikes Donald Trump's $15 billion lawsuit against New York Times, with leave to amend, court filing shows

A US federal judge has struck down Donald Trump's $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, granting the former president leave to amend his complaint. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleged that the Times and Penguin Random House spread false and defamatory content about Trump, harming his reputation and political campaign .

The lawsuit targeted several entities, including The New York Times, four of its reporters, and Penguin Random House, which published the book "Lucky Loser" by Times reporters Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner. The book critiques Trump's financial history and business success, which Trump's legal team argued was defamatory .

The judge's decision to strike the lawsuit comes after Trump's legal team failed to provide sufficient evidence to support the claims of defamation. The judge noted that Trump's complaint was "vague and conclusory," lacking specific details about the false and defamatory content .

In response to the ruling, Trump's lawyers have indicated that they will amend the complaint to provide more specific allegations and evidence. The New York Times has welcomed the judge's decision, stating that the lawsuit was "without merit" and an attempt to stifle independent reporting .

The ruling is a significant setback for Trump, who has repeatedly sued media outlets for defamation. In recent years, he has filed lawsuits against ABC News, The Wall Street Journal, and Paramount Global over coverage and content related to his business and political career .

The case highlights the ongoing legal battle between Trump and major news outlets, with Trump accusing them of bias and defamation, and the outlets defending their reporting and publication rights. The outcome of the amended lawsuit will be closely watched by legal and media professionals.