Trump Threatens New York Times, Penguin Random House over Critical Coverage
www.cjr.org
Legal letter follows complaints aimed at CBS News, the Washington Post, and the Daily Beast.

Summary

Donald Trump has launched a series of legal actions against major news outlets, including the New York Times, CBS News, and the Washington Post, demanding billions in damages for alleged defamatory coverage.

A letter from Trump’s attorney accuses the Times of engaging in “industrial-scale libel” and targets articles scrutinizing Trump’s business and political conduct.

Legal complaints have also been filed over CBS’s alleged pro-Kamala Harris edits and Washington Post articles purportedly aiding her campaign.

Legal experts warn that such litigation could have a “chilling effect” on journalism, especially for smaller outlets.

  • FlowVoid@lemmy.worldEnglish
    611·
    1 month ago

    A few observations:

    • This won’t be the first time those media outlets have been sued for libel. It’s a common enough occurrence that they keep lawyers around ready to litigate. So this isn’t as chilling as Trump might hope.
    • Litigation means discovery. If Trump wants to win, he’ll have to turn over his private records to NYT lawyers. If he refuses then his case will be thrown out.
    • Once Trump takes office, it will be harder to pull this kind of crap. Only private individuals can sue for defamation, the government cannot.