Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against CNN over ‘the Big Lie’ dismissed in Florida

A federal judge in South Florida has dismissed Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against CNN. The former U.S. president had claimed that references made by the network’s hosts or in news articles, describing his efforts to overturn the 2020 election as “the Big Lie,” were equivalent to comparing him to Adolf Hitler. In the lawsuit filed last October, Trump sought punitive damages amounting to $475 million, arguing that such references damaged his reputation and political career, as he is a candidate for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal, who was appointed by Trump himself, ruled on Friday that the defamation claims were invalid because the references were deemed to be opinions rather than factual statements. The judge further stated that it was a stretch to believe that viewers would connect the phrase “the Big Lie” to Nazi propaganda or Hitler’s regime in relation to Trump’s election challenges. In his decision, the judge wrote that CNN’s use of the phrase did not imply that Trump advocated persecution or genocide against any group, including Jews.

Neither Trump’s attorneys nor CNN provided immediate comments following the judge’s ruling.

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• Reuters: Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against CNN dismissed in Florida
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