**Trump’s $15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against The New York Times and Penguin Random House Dismissed**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | September 20, 2025, 4:20 PM*
A U.S. judge has dismissed President Donald Trump’s $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and Penguin Random House. However, Trump has been given the option to refile an amended complaint.
**Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Citing Procedural Issues**
The case was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday in Florida, who criticized the original complaint as “decidedly improper” and filled with “vituperation and invective.” The judge pointed out that the lawsuit violated civil procedure rules, describing it as overly lengthy and lacking focus.
Judge Merryday noted that the complaint was excessively detailed and repetitive, spanning 85 pages but containing only two counts of defamation. He deemed the lawsuit to be “decidedly improper and impermissible,” even when applying a lenient interpretation of Rule 8, which governs the clarity and conciseness of legal complaints.
Importantly, the judge’s order did not address the truthfulness of the allegations or the validity of Trump’s claims. Instead, it emphasized that a complaint should not be a place for tedious aggregation of evidence or argumentative discourse.
**Details of the Lawsuit**
Trump’s lawsuit challenged specific articles published by The New York Times and Penguin Random House. These articles focused on his role on the television show *The Apprentice* and content from the book *Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success*.
Central to the lawsuit was Trump’s objection to being portrayed as “discovered” for the show, despite his existing fame. The suit also alleged that the reporting falsely described his inheritance as a product of “fraudulent tax evasion schemes” and accused his father of manipulating federal programs to build his fortune.
Additional allegations included claims of false reporting on Trump’s school conduct, the valuation of his real estate deals, and investigations linking him to mafia ties and money laundering.
Trump’s complaint went further to accuse The New York Times of betraying journalistic ideals and acting as a “mouthpiece” for the Democratic Party.
**New York Times Responds**
A spokesperson for The New York Times dismissed the lawsuit as meritless and described it as an intimidation tactic aimed at suppressing independent journalism. The spokesperson stated, “The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics.”
Penguin Random House has not yet issued any comment regarding the lawsuit.
**Next Steps**
Judge Merryday has granted Trump a 28-day window to refile an amended complaint. However, the new filing must adhere to a strict 40-page limit, ensuring it is more concise and focused.
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*This dismissal highlights the importance of procedural standards in legal filings and maintains the balance between freedom of the press and defamation claims.*
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/world/why-trump-s-lawsuit-against-nyt-and-penguin-was-dismissed/story