Florida Judge Tosses Trump’s $15 Billion Defamation Suit Against The New York Times, Calling It a “Tendentious Oration”

Court document reveals U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday dismissing President Donald Trump’s $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times on September 19, 2025, citing its "tedious and burdensome" 85-page complaint as improper under federal rules.

Tampa, FL – 19 September 2025 - A federal judge in Florida on Friday threw out President Donald Trump’s $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, Penguin Random House, and four of its reporters, slamming the 85-page complaint as a “tedious and burdensome” attempt at a “political rally” rather than a proper legal filing. U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday of the Middle District of Florida dismissed the suit four days after its Tuesday filing, granting Trump’s legal team 28 days to submit a revised complaint capped at 40 pages, in line with federal rules requiring a “short and plain statement” of claims.

In a biting four-page order, Merryday criticized the complaint for its “superfluous allegations” lauding Trump’s “singular brilliance” and defending his late father, Fred Trump, calling it “decidedly improper” under Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. “A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or the functional equivalent of the Hyde Park Speakers’ Corner,” he wrote, clarifying that the dismissal addressed only the filing’s format, not its substance.

The lawsuit targeted The Times as a “leading purveyor of falsehoods” and a “Democratic mouthpiece,” focusing on articles and a book that allegedly defamed Trump. Specific grievances included a 2018 opinion piece linking Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, a 2024 report on former Chief of Staff John Kelly’s warnings about Trump’s dictatorial tendencies, coverage of “The Apprentice,” and the book Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success by reporters Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner, published by Penguin Random House. Named defendants included reporters Craig, Buettner, Peter Baker, and Michael S. Schmidt, accused of seeking to “ruin his reputation” and influence judicial proceedings.

This is at least Trump’s third failed legal action against The Times. A 2021 defamation suit over financial reporting was dismissed, with Trump ordered to cover legal fees, and a 2020 libel case tied to an opinion piece was also thrown out. Trump has also filed a $10 billion suit against The Wall Street Journal over a 2003 Epstein-related letter.

Legal analysts suggest a revised filing will face hurdles under First Amendment protections, given Trump’s track record of unsuccessful media lawsuits. The case highlights ongoing friction between Trump’s administration and critical media outlets, with implications for press freedom as the refiling deadline looms.