Staff Reports
In a bold move, former President Donald Trump has taken legal action against several mainstream media outlets that he accuses of spreading false information about his media company, Truth Social. The lawsuit, filed on Monday in Sarasota County, Florida, alleges that 18 news outlets raced to report on a fabricated $73 million loss statement that was submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by Digital World Acquisition Corp. This company is seeking to merge with Truth Social.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Trump Media & Technology Group, is seeking a jury trial and punitive payment of $1.5 billion. In addition, Trump’s legal team is seeking a gag order to force the deletion of all articles about the alleged losses, as well as unspecified other damages. The targets of the suit include MSNBC, Newsweek, CNBC, Reuters, The Daily Beast, the Miami Herald, Mediaite, The Hill, The New York Daily News, the Daily Mail, Axios, The Hollywood Reporter, Salon, and Deadline.
JUST IN: Trump Takes Legal Action Against 20 Liberal Media Networkshttps://t.co/evC9ssgDDp
— Sheri™ (@FFT1776) November 21, 2023
Trump’s attorneys argue that the media outlets failed to properly fact-check and report that a corrected filing showed actual losses by Truth Social were $31.6 million, not $73 million. They also claim that the media outlets neglected to mention that Truth Social posted a profit of $50.5 million in 2022. The lawsuit alleges that the original reporting was a deliberate fabrication, with each defendant reporting the same false number within 24 hours of one another.
By filing the lawsuit in Florida, Trump may have strategically placed himself in a favorable position. Florida law requires that defendants seeking to appeal a lawsuit must put the entire amount lost into escrow before filing an appeal. This could present a significant financial burden for the media outlets if Trump wins his case. It also highlights the ongoing battle between Trump and the media, with the former president accusing the media of negative coverage against him.
This latest lawsuit is just one example of how legal battles have become intertwined with political strategy for Trump as he seeks to regain the White House. Trump currently faces four criminal trials and a fifth civil case, which he argues are part of a weaponized court system under President Joe Biden. These legal battles continue to make headlines and are raising Trump’s profile within the GOP field.
