A New York Supreme Court Judge dismissed former President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the New York Times over its reporting of his tax records and ordered him to pay all legal fees associated with the case, marking the latest in a series of legal blows against the former president.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a round of golf at his Turnberry course in ... [+]
Trump had filed the suit against the Times, three of its reporters and his niece Mary Trump in 2021 for the paper’s coverage of his wealth and tax history, accusing them of colluding on an “insidious plot” to gain access to “confidential and highly-sensitive records.”
In his ruling, New York Supreme Court Judge Robert Reed said that Trump’s claims against the Times reporters “fail as a matter of constitutional law”, adding that the reporters' newsgathering activities are “the very core of protected First Amendment activity.”
The judge also ruled that Trump failed to demonstrate that the reporters engaged in tortious interference or unjust enrichment, as “the Times’ purpose in reporting on a story of high public interest constitutes justification as a matter of law.”
Reed ordered Trump to pay the defendant's attorney fees and costs, as his claims against them “constitute a strategic lawsuit against public participation.”
The judge is yet to make a ruling on Mary Trump, who was also named as a defendant in Trump’s suit.
The former president’s attorney Alina Habba told the Associated Press that his legal team will “weigh our client’s options.”