The 11th Circuit Court has dealt another blow to Donald Trump, denying his effort to revive a hefty $475 million defamation lawsuit against CNN. According to the court, CNN’s portrayal of his election fraud claims as the “Big Lie” is considered a matter of protected opinion, rather than defamatory.
The judges affirmed the lower court’s ruling, stating, “Trump did not sufficiently demonstrate that CNN’s statements were false.” They emphasized that he failed to prove the key elements required for a defamation claim.
U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal highlighted that CNN’s term “Big Lie” was more of a rhetorical device than factually asserting wrongdoing. The appellate judges agreed, concluding that Trump didn’t establish the necessary falsity or actual malice that’s crucial for defamation cases.
Trump has previously claimed that CNN’s use of the term likened him to Hitler and evoked Nazi propaganda. His legal team argued that the network has systematically tried to paint him in a negative light with inflammatory labels like ‘racist’, ‘Russian lackey’, and ultimately, ‘Hitler’.
They insisted that these descriptors are presented as factual, not merely opinions, asserting that this oversensitivity constitutes actual malice as understood in legal terms.
However, the judges shot down these arguments, failing to see any evidence that CNN made factual statements directly linking Trump to Hitler.
In addition to suing CNN, Trump has hinted at similar defamation actions against other major networks like ABC and CBS, along with well-known publications like The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. He expressed his frustrations saying, “These media outlets write whatever they please, and in response, what do you get? You convict Trump. Their actions are blatantly illegal.
Sarah Bennett covers U.S. politics & news for content partner Modern Newsstand LLC.
