**Trump’s $15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against NYT and Penguin Dismissed**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Sep 20, 2025, 04:20 PM*
A US judge has dismissed President Donald Trump’s $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and Penguin Random House, while allowing the option to refile an amended complaint.
**Lawsuit Dismissed Over Procedural Issues**
The lawsuit was thrown out by US District Judge Steven Merryday in Florida, who described the complaint as “decidedly improper” and filled with “vituperation and invective.” Judge Merryday criticized the filing for violating civil procedure rules, noting it was excessively lengthy and failed to clearly state the claims.
The complaint spanned 85 pages but contained only two counts of defamation. The judge noted it was overly detailed, repetitive, and “decidedly improper and impermissible,” even under a lenient reading of Rule 8 of civil procedure. Importantly, Judge Merryday’s order did not address the truthfulness of the allegations or the validity of the claims, but rather focused on the inappropriateness of using a complaint as a platform for exhaustive evidence and arguments.
**Details of the Lawsuit**
Trump’s lawsuit centered on several articles published by The New York Times and Penguin Random House. These articles discussed his role on the television show *The Apprentice* and covered content from the book *Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success*.
Trump contended that he was inaccurately portrayed as having been “discovered” for *The Apprentice*, despite his prior fame. The lawsuit alleged that the reporting falsely characterized his inheritance as stemming from “fraudulent tax evasion schemes” and claimed his father manipulated federal programs to build his fortune.
Additional allegations included purportedly false reports regarding Trump’s school conduct, the values of his real estate deals, and investigations into alleged mafia ties and money laundering.
The suit accused The New York Times of betraying journalistic ideals and functioning as a “mouthpiece” for the Democratic Party.
**Response from The New York Times**
A spokesperson for The New York Times dismissed the lawsuit as meritless and described it as an attempt to intimidate and suppress independent journalism. They stated, “The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics.”
Penguin Random House has not issued a comment on the lawsuit.
**Next Steps**
Judge Merryday has granted Trump the opportunity to refile an amended complaint within 28 days, but limited the document to a maximum of 40 pages.
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*Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.*
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/world/why-trump-s-lawsuit-against-nyt-and-penguin-was-dismissed/story