Trump defamation lawsuit against the New York Times: What to know

This story appeared in The Logoff, a every day e-newsletter that helps you keep knowledgeable in regards to the Trump administration with out letting political information take over your life. Subscribe right here.Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump is suing the New York Occasions for defamation, demanding $15 billion in damages as a part of his newest assault on the free press.What does the lawsuit say? Trump alleges that three New York Occasions articles printed in 2024 have been written to undermine his marketing campaign within the closing stretch of the election, and the swimsuit names 4 Occasions journalists and the writer of a ebook by two of the reporters, as co-defendants.The swimsuit additionally contains aggrandizing descriptions of Trump’s profession, together with his “magnificent actual property achievements” and his “sui generis charisma and distinctive enterprise acumen.”In a press release, the Occasions mentioned that Trump’s swimsuit “lacks any reliable authorized claims and as an alternative is an try and stifle and discourage unbiased reporting.”What’s the aim of the lawsuit? In idea, the swimsuit is meant to recoup damages for what it describes as “false, malicious, defamatory, and disparaging” reporting. In actuality, the criticism — and the eye-popping request for damages — is greatest seen as half of a bigger sample of conduct by Trump that’s supposed to suppress reliable, vital reporting on Trump’s life, marketing campaign, and administration by US information organizations.Is Trump going to succeed? Virtually actually not. Defamation fits in opposition to a public determine have to satisfy a particularly excessive bar, referred to as precise malice, to succeed, and fact is an absolute protection.What’s the massive image? Trump’s assaults on the media are supposed to coerce extra favorable protection of his administration. He has beforehand sued each ABC and CBS for his or her protection, extracting settlements price thousands and thousands of {dollars}, and he has a pending $10 billion lawsuit in opposition to the Wall Road Journal and its proprietor, Rupert Murdoch.On Tuesday, he informed ABC reporter Jonathan Karl that the Justice Division may “go after individuals such as you since you deal with me so unfairly.”And with that, it’s time to sign off…Robert Redford, the legendary actor and director, died right now at 89. The Washington Publish has an incredible checklist of a few of his greatest works right here (and how much journalists would we be if we didn’t point out his position as journalism legend Bob Woodward in All of the President’s Males), however I wish to level to this clip, from A River Runs By way of It, too. The movie, directed by Redford, is a ravishing adaptation of what Roger Ebert described as “one of many few excellent books of the twentieth century,” and it’s one which Redford fought exhausting to get made. In case you’re on the lookout for one thing to observe in his reminiscence, I extremely advocate it. Have an incredible night!