Federal Appeals Court Rejects Trump’s Defamation Case Against CNN

A federal appeals court has rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to reinstate a defamation lawsuit against CNN, calling his arguments in the case “meritless.” The lawsuit, originally filed in 2022, challenged CNN’s use of the phrase “the big lie” to describe Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

On Tuesday, a three-judge panel upheld a 2023 decision from a Florida federal judge ruling that Trump failed to prove falsity, a necessary requirement for defamation. The judges said Trump’s actions after the 2020 election — including claiming victory and attempting to remain in power — were open to subjective interpretation and therefore not statements that can be proven true or false. For that reason, the panel ruled that CNN’s commentary fell within protected opinion.

The unanimous ruling came from Judges Kevin Newsom and Elizabeth Branch, both appointed by Trump, and Judge Adalberto Jordan, an appointee of Barack Obama. The judges further wrote that “Trump’s other arguments are likewise meritless.”

CNN declined to comment on the ruling. The decision adds to a growing list of legal battles in which major American news outlets have prevailed against defamation challenges brought by Trump.

The original lawsuit, filed by Trump attorneys Lindsey Halligan and Jim Trusty, also accused CNN of associating Trump with Adolf Hitler and Nazi rhetoric by citing comments made by guests on air. The district judge overseeing the case, Raag Singhal, ruled that such characterizations were opinions rather than factual assertions, explaining that “bad rhetoric is not defamation when it does not include false statements of fact.”

Trusty later withdrew from Trump’s legal team, citing irreconcilable differences. Halligan, who remains close to Trump, now serves as the interim U.S. attorney overseeing the Eastern District of Virginia, a position that has drawn legal challenges.

After losing in district court, Trump appealed to the 11th Circuit, which issued its decision on Tuesday. A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team responded by criticizing CNN, insisting the network defamed Trump and millions of his supporters, and vowed to continue pursuing legal action against the outlet.

Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.