Former President Donald Trump launches a legal offensive against major media networks, accusing them of defamation and election interference.
We could finally settle this…in court.
At a Glance
- Trump files defamation lawsuits against ABC News and CBS News
- ABC lawsuit targets George Stephanopoulos for comments on jury verdicts
- CBS faces $10 billion lawsuit over alleged deceptive editing of Kamala Harris interview
- Legal actions raise concerns about press freedom and potential impact on media mergers
- Trump’s history of threatening media outlets and popularizing “fake news” term continues
Trump’s Media Offensive: Lawsuits and Licensing Threats
Former President Donald Trump has filed defamation lawsuits against ABC News and CBS News – and the impact could be massive.
These legal actions, coupled with threats to revoke broadcasting licenses, mark an escalation in Trump’s confrontation with news organizations he perceives as unfavorable to his political ambitions.
The lawsuit against ABC News targets George Stephanopoulos for comments made about jury verdicts related to E. Jean Carroll’s claims against Trump. Stephanopoulos stated on air that Trump was “found liable for rape,” a characterization that Trump vehemently disputes as false and defamatory. This legal action stems from a complex case where a New York jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse but not rape, though a judge later noted the act met the common understanding of “rape.”
CBS News in the Crosshairs: A $10 Billion Lawsuit
The more substantial lawsuit targets CBS News, with Trump demanding $10 billion in damages.
Yes, billion.
The former president accuses the network of election interference through allegedly deceptive editing of a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. This accusation has led Trump to call for CBS to lose its broadcasting license and for “60 Minutes” to be taken off the air.
“CBS should lose its license, 60 Minutes should be immediately taken off the air,”
Trump said.
CBS has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, of course, stating that the different answers from Harris were taken from separate parts of her full response, rejecting accusations of deceitful editing. The network has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, citing First Amendment protections and lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.
Legal Hurdles and Press Freedom Concerns
Legal experts point out the significant challenges Trump faces in these lawsuits. As a public figure, Trump must prove actual malice to succeed in defamation cases, demonstrating that the defendants knew their statements were false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. This high bar for public figures is designed to protect political speech and press freedom.
“I do think that when you’re talking about someone who is formerly the president running for president again, there’s an especially high bar for protecting political speech,” Stephen Solomon, founding editor of First Amendment Watch, said.
The Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders have expressed concerns over Trump’s threats to press freedom. These organizations view the lawsuits and licensing threats as potential intimidation tactics that could have a chilling effect on media coverage of political figures.
Beyond the immediate legal battles, these lawsuits could have far-reaching consequences for the media industry.
If Trump pulls this off, we could see an end to fake news – or at least, start to see it decline. And wouldn’t that be great for America?
